Formula 1 had a frustrating outcome for Oscar Piastri at the 2026 Japanese GP, with the driver believing he could have won the race if not for the safety car intervention. The Australian highlighted that the result could have been different without the incident that changed the race.
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Even with the setback, the performance represented an important step in the season. After two rounds without starting, Piastri secured his first podium of the year, showing competitiveness throughout the weekend.
Starting from third on the grid, the McLaren driver made a strong start and took the lead early on. During the first stint, he managed to build a gap over George Russell, who was recovering after a complicated start.
The race, however, changed completely on lap 21. A heavy crash by Oliver Bearman triggered the safety car right at the time of the pit stop window, altering the order of the race.
As a result, Kimi Antonelli inherited the lead as he had not yet stopped, while Piastri and Russell had already made their tire changes. The strategy ended up being decisive for the final result at Suzuka.
After the restart, the McLaren driver could not keep up with the leader’s pace, but still secured a place on the podium. For him, there was a feeling that there was potential for more.
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“It would be very interesting to see what would have happened without the safety car. I think I could have kept George behind, because before the stops we were opening up a bit of a gap,” he stated.
The Australian also joked about his good performance at the starts, highlighting a positive point amidst the frustration. “At least at the start we did well,” he said.
Despite regretting the missed opportunity, he acknowledged the team’s good work throughout the race. “It’s a shame not knowing how it would have been, but being disappointed with a second place already shows that we are in a good position,” he commented.
Piastri also praised the team’s execution, highlighting that the result was the fruit of consistent work. “We did a great job with what we had. We still need to find more performance, but we took advantage of every opportunity that arose,” he concluded.
The result marks an important restart for the driver in the 2026 Formula 1 season, after a difficult start and without completing races in the first two rounds.
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