Jenson Button Claims Carlos Sainz Would Have Shoved Oscar Piastri Had It Not Been Monaco GP

Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri found themselves in a tricky situation on lap one of the 2024 Monaco GP on Sunday. They made contact in the first corner, narrowly avoiding a disaster and although Sainz backed off immediately, Jenson Button believes he would have driven the McLaren driver off the track on any other circuit.

Analyzing the incident between the two drivers, Anthony Davidson pointed out how Sainz had a better start compared to Piastri. The Spaniard held the inside line and was marginally ahead of Piastri heading into Saint Devote. Per Davidson, any other driver would’ve let go of the position.

Piastri, however, continued fighting, eventually leading to Sainz backing off. While this move worked in favor of the Australian driver in Monaco last Sunday, Jenson Button said,

“If we weren’t racing in Monaco, he [Sainz] would’ve driven him [Piastri] off the circuit.”

Sainz was initially unaware of the contact he made with Piastri. It was only after a puncture appeared on his front left tire seconds later, did the Madrid-born driver realized something had gone wrong. He pulled up in front of the casino, and his race would have most certainly fallen apart, had it not been for Sergio Perez’s horror crash.

Sergio Perez’s crash became a blessing in disguise for Carlos Sainz

While Sainz was tussling with Piastri in the front, Sergio Perez was trying to get a good launch after starting P16. However, an ambitious lunge made by Kevin Magnussen ended both their races, as it caused Perez to suffer a huge impact with the barriers.

The crash also took Magnussen’s teammate Nico Hulkenberg out of the race, and the red flag came out. Thankfully, they were all okay.

However, as a result of this incident, all the drivers got to regroup in the pit-lane, including Sainz, who changed his tires, effectively earning a free-pitstop. He tumbled down the order initially. But because the red-flag came out before all cars crossed the first sector, the original grid order was chosen for the restart.

This gave Sainz another chance. And this time, the 29-year-old made no mistake. He drove flawlessly to earn a P3 finish behind race winner Charles Leclerc and Piastri.