Oscar Piastri Ready to Break His ‘No Drinks’ on Race Weekend Code Only if He Gets the ‘Max Verstappen Exception’

Oscar Piastri Ready to Break His ‘No Drinks’ on Race Weekend Code Only if He Gets the ‘Max Verstappen Exception'

Competing as a rookie in 2023, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri had a very disciplined approach towards racing alongside Lando Norris. The Australian driver put up various rules for himself, including one that barred him from hanging out with friends during a race weekend or immediately after it. Meanwhile, a ‘partied out’ Max Verstappen took to the driving duties for the feature race in Qatar, having won the drivers’ championship during the Sprint session.

 

Speaking on the Spotify Podcast ‘Eff won with DRS,’ Piastri admitted that he might break the rule if he were in Verstappen’s position.

“When you win a World Championship, I think it’s warranted. So, I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same if I was in his position.”

For now, though, Piastri chooses to stay as disciplined as he can and avoid partying during the season to stay on top of his game. However, the 22-year-old admitted to playing fast and loose with the rules as he grows in the sport, but only to an extent. The Australian driver said he wouldn’t get ‘plastered’ before a race until he’d won the championship.

While many might feel the discipline of Piastri is ‘overkill,’ the 22-year-old’s performances from 2023 prove it helped Piastri quickly become a driver to watch out for.

Oscar Piastri had one of the most impressive rookie seasons in recent history

Despite starting the season on a weak note, Piastri continued improving with each race and soon became one of the most impressive drivers on the current grid. The Australian even became a threat to teammate Lando Norris, often pushing the Briton to his limits to come out on top in a race. The same has led to experts and fans claiming the 2024 season will see close competition between the two McLaren drivers, with no certainties over who would come out on top.

Furthermore, not only did Piastri beat an in-form Verstappen during a sprint session battle, but he also earned the title of ‘Rookie of the Year,’ owing to his 97 points and 2 podium finishes.

 

The performances and achievements were critical in Piastri earning a multi-year contract extension, keeping him at McLaren till the end of the 2026 season. McLaren enjoyed a resurgence in the second half of the season, especially after Silverstone. With impressive upgrades, the MCL60 became the second-fastest car on the grid, and Piastri took full advantage of it, bringing in a decent number of points for his team.

Post Edited By: Pritam Priyedarshi
Max Verstappen McLaren F1 Team Oscar Piastri

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Naman Gopal Srivastava

Naman is an F1 writer at The SportsRush. Initially a football fanatic who worships Puyol and Leo Messi, Naman soon fell in love with the world of F1 upon reading about Jim Clarke. While the current era drivers do fascinate him, Naman still chooses to idolize Clarke and Ayrton Senna. When he is not busy watching the highlights of some of the greatest races of his idols, Naman can be found scribbling little snippets in his diary of poems or out in the town, exploring new places to eat.

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