Piastri sat with 'popcorn’ during Verstappen-Norris scrap

Oscar Piastri has stated he was “sitting with popcorn” while watching team-mate Lando Norris attack Max Verstappen for the lead of the sprint race in Austria.

Early in the race, Verstappen faced pressure from the McLaren drivers with Norris successfully overtaking Verstappen into Turn 3 on lap five. 

Verstappen immediately responded at the following corner which presented Piastri with an opportunity to sneak through into second place ahead of the other MCL38.

Piastri explained he was waiting patiently for an opportunity to arise and admitted he was convinced Verstappen was beatable.

“I thought so, yes - he obviously had quite a good start compared to Lando and I and [we] just managed to stay in the DRS and got to the back of him,” Piastri told media including RacingNews365. 

“I was sitting there with my popcorn waiting for whatever was going to unfold and obviously just stayed patient and I managed to get Lando. 

“It was not quite enough to get Max but I just struggled a little bit in the second half.

“I think everyone was probably struggling with tyres a bit but I just didn't quite have the pace to keep challenging in the second half of the sprint.”

Piastri states tyres helped defence

Piastri came under pressure in the latter stages from team-mate Norris, who increased his pace in a bid to re-take second place.

However, the Australian acknowledged overheating tyres dented Norris' attempt to launch an attack

“It was tough at the start, definitely. I think once the car behind gets into the DRS,  they have three shots at it,” he said.

“I think the tyres at that point [of the race], it was so hard for everybody, the DRS wasn't having anywhere near as much of an impact as it did at the start of the race.

“The last few laps it was a little bit more comfortable but all it would take was one mistake, so it was a difficult sprint.”