Oscar Piastri Slams Carlos Sainz Over 'Unacceptable' Hungarian GP Collision

Oscar Piastri heavily criticized Carlos Sainz after their collision at the Hungarian Grand Prix, insisting the Williams driver’s refusal to yield while being lapped directly cost him the race lead. The McLaren driver had seized P1 from teammate Lando Norris on the opening lap through Turn 3, but later retired with a gearbox failure while chasing down the eventual winner.

Why it matters:

The incident provided a stark reminder of how backmarker interference can instantly unravel a leader’s afternoon, and it compounded Piastri’s mounting championship pressure. With the Australian sitting seventh in the drivers’ standings and already trailing Norris by 36 points, every lost opportunity is becoming increasingly damaging in his bid to stay in title contention.

The details:

• Piastri grabbed the lead from Norris on lap one with a switchback through Turn 3 after his teammate ran slightly wide.
• After retaining the position through the first stint, Piastri was given priority on strategy and pitted first for his second stop.
• Rejoining behind backmarkers Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, who were battling outside the points, Piastri attempted to lap Sainz at Turn 2 only for the two to make contact.
• Piastri cited visible blue flags on marshal signals and called Sainz’s actions “unacceptable,” arguing that fighting for last place “like it was the world championship” was inexcusable.
• Sainz defended himself by claiming he had a “pretty good excuse” and that Piastri should have been “a bit more careful,” which drew a sharp response that Sainz should “look in the mirror.”
• In a separate interview, Piastri labeled the incident “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen on a race track.”
• The collision cost Piastri enough time that Norris, who pitted seven laps later, emerged eight-tenths ahead; the Australian later retired with a gearbox failure as Norris took the victory.

What's next:

Piastri will need a swift rebound in the coming rounds to avoid falling further adrift in the championship, particularly with Norris building momentum at the front. The spat also adds a fresh layer of tension between the two drivers that could resurface the next time they share a piece of the track.