F1 News: Oscar Piastri Reveals 'Frustrating Mistake' Causing Shock Q1 Exit

Oscar Piastri was unexpectedly eliminated in Q1 of the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix after making a crucial mistake at Turn 12.

Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; McLaren Formula 1 Team driver Oscar Piastri (right) of Team Australia and girlfriend Lily Zneimer (left) walk into the track before the Sprint Race in the 2024 Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Oscar Piastri suffered a surprising early exit from Q1 during the qualifying session of the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix. Whilst speaking to the media following his elimination, the Australian driver revealed a "frustrating mistake" that cost him a spot in Q2.

He explained to Sky Sports F1:

"I just went off in Turn 12, got beached on the kerb there and that was it.

"My lap was easily going to be enough so it's very frustrating to have made that mistake.

"I lost about a second. It's a tricky circuit but I don't think today was down to it being tricky, I just made a very poor mistake and that was it.

"We had a similar position to Lando last year, so I will make sure I will do my homework on how he went through the field and try to do the same I guess."

Since joining McLaren in 2023, Piastri has posted commendable results, including two Grand Prix victories and several podium finishes, meaning his Q1 exit was out of the ordinary for the driver. He will start the race from seventeenth position on the grid. Red Bull driver Sergio Perez was also eliminated in Q1 in front of his home crowd. The Mexican driver is set to start the race from the eighteenth position.

Piastri's McLaren teammate will start the race from the third position on the grid behind Carlos Sainz, who secured the pole position, and championship rival Max Verstappen in second. Speaking about his pole position during the broadcasted post-qualifying interview, the Spanish driver explained:

"Very happy and a great couple of laps. A lot of times around Mexico you always have the feeling like you cannot put a lap together and it’s extremely difficult with how much sliding there is.

"But today, honestly my two laps in Q3 were pretty much identical, almost perfect. I just put two really solid laps in Q3, enough for pole, and very happy because that’s not normally the case around Mexico with how tricky it is.

"Definitely since Austin we’ve done, it seems especially on my side, a step up. Also in qualifying trying to find something extra with the out-lap and tyre preparation, and it seems like we are going in the right direction.

"Obviously looking forward to finish the job tomorrow, but at least the pole position of today – I’ll take it because it shows progress and some really solid laps."

2024 Mexican Grand Prix Qualifying Results

1. Carlos Sainz
2. Max Verstappen
3. Lando Norris
4. Charles Leclerc
5. George Russell
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Kevin Magnussen
8. Pierre Gasly
9. Alex Albon
10. Nico Hulkenberg
11. Yuki Tsunoda
12. Liam Lawson
13. Fernando Alonso
14. Lance Stroll
15. Valtteri Bottas
16. Franco Colapinto
17. Oscar Piastri
18. Sergio Perez
19. Esteban Ocon
20. Zhou Guanyu