Oscar Piastri’s Camp Furious After Qatar GP

Oscar Piastri delivered one of his cleanest, most commanding F1 weekends of the season in Qatar, until a single strategic decision upended everything.

According to respected F1 photographer and paddock insider Kym Illman, Piastri’s management team was “furious” with McLaren after the call not to pit under the early safety car allowed key rivals to gain a decisive advantage. 

Illman reports that Piastri “didn’t put a foot wrong” all weekend, appearing on course for a dominant victory before the team’s decision cost him track position. Other front-running teams opted to pit both cars, making McLaren’s choice stand out immediately as a major risk. 

Inner-Sanctum Frustration: “They’re Not Happy”

Illman says he spoke to members of Piastri’s inner circle after the race, and the frustration was unmistakable. Combined with last week’s double disqualification for the McLaren pair, the Qatar result has intensified pressure inside a team that only recently looked united and unstoppable. 

One telling sign came directly from Piastri himself. His post-race Instagram upload, a podium photo without a caption, was, in Illman’s view, a clear indication the Australian was deeply unhappy. No celebration, no messaging, just silence.