Aussie Oscar Piastri cruelly robbed on live TV in F1 anarchy

Aussie star Oscar Piastri was given the ultimate slap in the middle of a TV interview that has left the Formula 1 world flabbergasted.

The exact moment Oscar Piastri's heart was ripped in two. Photo: Twitter, Formula 1.

Oscar Piastri was cruelly robbed at the Qatar Grand Prix in scenes of complete anarchy following a dramatic qualifying session on Saturday morning.

The Aussie was speaking on live TV when he was given the shattering news his final flying lap had been deleted, dropping him off the podium.

In the ultimate slap on top of the penalty, Piastri was also forced to go through the formal post-session media commitments posing alongside Max Verstappen and George Russell, who qualified fastest.

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Piastri was his usual calm self when learning the news, but the frustration under the skin was clear to see.

One of these things doesn’t belong. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.

The exact moment Oscar Piastri's heart was ripped in two. Photo: Twitter, Formula 1.

Sky Sports Formula 1 presenter Naomi Schiff was the one that had to break the news in the middle of her interview with Piastri.

“So I think we’re just hearing that you’ve had a track limits infringement,” she said.

“Is that accurate? Did you know that maybe something was under investigation for your track limits as well?

Naomi : So you've dropped down to 6th now
Piastri : Wonderful 🙂👍
Naomi : It was lovely speaking to you though, Oscar.
Piastri : Thank you. I'll try get tomorrow.pic.twitter.com/DHSw6zhcAz

— 에클레어 (@sharr__leclerc) October 6, 2023

Piastri responded: “I didn’t know. This is fun isn’t it, not knowing who is in the top three”.

Schiff replied: “Oh gosh. It sounds as if you may have dropped down to sixth now.”

Piastri signed off by saying “wonderful” and giving a mock thumbs up.

The 22-year-old was already unhappy after his performance in qualifying where he finished fourth behind pole-sitter Verstappen, Mercedes’ Russell and teammate Lando Norris.

Piastri was at the last second elevated to third when Norris found out his final lap had been deleted for exceeding track limits.

It took several more minutes for news to emerge that stewards had also put a line through Piastri’s late lap.

At least he could see the funny side.

P1, 2 & 6 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/6NWcCtdE2y

— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) October 6, 2023

pic.twitter.com/H3SvBDbdpB

— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) October 6, 2023

He was te one that had to drop the news to a journalist when speaking minutes later, describing it as a “shame”

“I just pushed a little bit hard on the last lap. A shame because the car was quick,” he told Sky Sports.

“We get another crack at it tomorrow with qualifying and in the Sprint too. We will see what we can do.

“It’s very tight, it’s so easy to make a mistake because the track is very slippery. Not making things easy for us.”

Teammate Norris was fuming on team radio after the session and will start from P10.

“The team did a good job, I just messed it up,” he said.

“I just think of the job I’m meant to do today, which is put in good laps and don’t make mistakes, that’s what I did today, so not a good day for me.”

Oscar Piastri does his best to push the anger down. Photo: Twitter, Formula 1.

It was yet another golden day for Verstappen.

It was the 26-year-old Dutchman’s 10th pole position of a commanding season for Red Bull.

He wound up four-tenths of a second ahead of nearest rival Russell, whose Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton slipped from second to fourth, and then rose to third when the two McLarens had laps scrubbed out in a confusing final flurry.

Verstappen can clinch his third consecutive title before Sunday’s race by finishing sixth or better in Saturday’s sprint race.

He said he was satisfied with his performance in tricky conditions with a gusty wind blowing sand and dust across the newly re-surfaced asphalt of the Lusail International Circuit.

“It’s a great start to the weekend,” said Verstappen, who celebrated his birthday last weekend. “I’m happy to be on pole and it has been a good day for us.”

“Of course, I want to win this race whatever happens tomorrow. We have got pole and I want to win it (Sunday’s Grand Prix), but first let’s be quick and do the job tomorrow.

“It will be difficult for the tyres with all this sand on the track, but our car is working so well.”

It was the 30th pole position overall in Verstappen’s career. After much post-session confusing, Hamilton was declared third for Mercedes ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Embattled French team-mates Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon of Alpine were seventh and eighth ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo and Norris.

The first qualifying session ended with Logan Sargeant of Williams missing the cut along with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Liam Lawson of Alpha Tauri, Kevin Magnussen of Haas and Zhou Guanyu of Alfa Romeo.

Stroll, son of team owner Lawrence Stroll, was filmed pushing his personal trainer after climbing from his car and, in a fit of pique gave only brief and rude responses to broadcasters.

Starting grid for the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday

Front row Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull), George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)

2nd row Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes), Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin)

3rd row Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari), Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren)

4th row Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine), Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine)

5th row Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo), Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren)

6th row Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri), Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari)

7th row Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull), Alexander Albon (THA/Williams)

8th row Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Haas), Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams)

9th row Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin), Liam Lawson (NZL/AlphaTauri)

10th row Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas), Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo)

— with AFP