‘You Did Just Win the Race Because of It’: Oscar Piastri's Reaction to George Russell's Race Win Leaves Cooldown Room in Splits

Oscar Piastri’s witty remark about George Russell’s race win left the cooldown room in splits. Read on to find out what he said.

By Ananya Kesh

Published on Jul 01, 2024 | 01:31 PM IST | 37K

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The 2024 Austrian Grand Prix was marked by a dramatic collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, which ultimately allowed George Russell to seize victory. This happened with only seven laps remaining.

The collision resulted in punctures for both drivers, forcing Norris to retire and causing Verstappen to fall down the leaderboard and finish 5th with a 10-second penalty. Russell took full advantage, clinching the win with Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz finishing second and third respectively.

The cooldown room exchange between Oscar Piastri and George Russell

As is tradition, the top three drivers gathered in the cooldown room to watch the highlights of the race. The pivotal moment of the Verstappen-Norris collision soon played on the screen. George Russell remarked, "Cool fight though. That was a very cool fight."

Oscar Piastri, in a moment of candid humor, responded, "Well, you did just win the race because of it." This witty retort earned laughter from both Russell and Sainz, adding a light-hearted touch to the post-race atmosphere.

ALSO READ: Carlos Sainz Reveals How Max Verstappen Almost Ended His F1 Career Before It Even Started

Mixed reactions to the battle to finish first

The trio's reactions continued as footage from Norris' onboard camera was shown, eliciting groans and a collective "No way" from the drivers. Recognizing the truth in Piastri's earlier comment, the room filled with nervous laughter before Russell noted, "We shouldn’t laugh."

Reflecting on the race, Russell acknowledged the intense battle between Verstappen and Norris. "It was a tough fight out there at the beginning of the race just to hold on to that third place, and I saw on the TV that Max and Lando were getting pretty close," Russell said, adding, "I knew Lando would want to try to get that race win. He was fired up."

ALSO READ: Watch: Max Verstappen Tries To Coach Lando Norris On Side-By-Side Racing Post Spanish GP

George Russell seizes the opportunity

Russell praised his team for their excellent work, emphasizing the importance of being ready to capitalize on others' mistakes. He said, "The team has done an amazing job to put us in this fight, and you’ve got to be there in the end to pick up the pieces. They were going for it. It was a cool fight though!"

Carlos Sainz, who rounded out the podium, commented on the inevitable clash between Verstappen and Norris. "It was going to happen at some point between these two," he noted, highlighting the high stakes and fierce competition at the front of the pack.

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