Oscar Piastri was finally able to participate in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix even though he was sick. In McLaren they came to consider that the Australian driver rest, at least, in the sprint race that took place on Saturday to rest for Sunday.
Andrea Stella, boss of Mclaren, has recounted in ‘Motorsport’ how they doubted that he could drive: “There have been a couple of moments this weekend in which we have asked ourselves if it is better to rest to make sure we’re okay on Sunday.”
“I can openly admit that we asked ourselves that question a couple of times over the weekend, we have always been very well supported by our team doctor. The medical support in general I would like to acknowledge has been excellent for Oscar,” he details. the direct of the team.
The possibility of stopping was in the air: “He said he wanted to try it, but acknowledging that if he couldn’t he would stop. She has always found a way to end each of the sessions with a good performance. But yes, a couple of times we said ‘we are going to think that we want to be well on Sunday, not now’…”.
Finally, the ‘rookie’ driver was present both in the sprint and in the race on Sunday. “Today was probably the best I’ve felt all weekend, which isn’t saying much. But yeah, it has been very difficult physically. Especially yesterday was quite tough”, he said after finishing the race in Baku.
Could it have been an opportunity for Álex Palou? In case Piastri had been killed in Azerbaijan, the name of the Spaniard Palou would have appeared. However, the McLaren test driver was this weekend in the indycarwhere he was fifth at the Barber Circuit in Alabama.
