Piastri blames Sainz for 'unacceptable' Hungary clash, clears McLaren strategy

Oscar Piastri has slammed Carlos Sainz after being hit by the lapped Williams driver cost him the lead at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The McLaren driver initially vented frustration at his team's pit strategy over the radio but later absolved them, insisting the lost lead was entirely down to Sainz's unacceptable lack of awareness on track.

Why it matters:

The collision shaped McLaren's race outcome. Piastri had controlled the grand prix before his second pit stop, but the time lost behind Sainz and Fernando Alonso allowed teammate Lando Norris to jump ahead and secure McLaren's first victory of 2026. Piastri later retired with a gearbox failure, turning a likely podium into a bitter afternoon and dealing a blow to his championship hopes.

The details:

• Piastri exited his second stop behind Sainz and Alonso, who were battling near the rear of the field. Sainz turned in at Turn 2 and struck the McLaren, which was sitting in his blind spot.
• Intermittent GPS issues prevented blue flags from displaying on Sainz's steering wheel, though marshal-operated light panels were still active.
• Sainz defended himself by saying he was fighting Alonso and had no indication he was about to be lapped by the race leader.
• Piastri called the contact unacceptable, arguing Sainz was fighting "like it was the world championship" despite being a lap down.
• The Australian conceded that covering Lewis Hamilton's pit stop was the correct call, and that keeping Norris out longer would not have been a logical strategy.

What's next:

Sainz received a five-second penalty for the clash, but Piastri's retirement means the championship damage is already done. McLaren must now navigate the fallout of another race where circumstance favored one driver over the other, with intra-team tensions likely to resurface as the season progresses.