Jacques Villeneuve has criticised Oscar Piastri for the error that cost the McLaren driver a podium at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The 1997 world champion described the incident as a ‘rookie mistake’.
Piastri was running in the top three for much of the race in Baku. While defending third place from Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, he locked both front wheels braking for Turn 1.
The mistake forced him into the run-off area. Due to the field being bunched up following a safety car period, Piastri dropped to the back before he could safely rejoin the track, eventually finishing 14th.
‘It was a rookie mistake – he got caught out, looking in his mirrors, and just completely missed his braking point. It’s the truth. Mistakes happen.’
The result capped a pointless weekend for McLaren. Teammate Lando Norris had retired earlier after being collected in a multi-car incident at a restart, caused by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto.
Colapinto’s error saw him collide with his own teammate, Pierre Gasly, who was then pushed into Norris’s car, ending the race for all three drivers. The incident prompted a furious reaction from Norris, who called for a race ban.
Piastri himself was left puzzled by his own incident. He stated the lock-up took him by surprise and that he did not feel he had braked excessively late or hard.
He admitted his disappointment but also pointed to the positives of a strong performance up until that point. Piastri had started third and moved into second place on the opening lap.
Sky Sports analyst Jamie Chadwick suggested the double lock-up was ‘odd’ and hinted it could be related to McLaren’s challenging car. Team Principal Andrea Stella later accepted responsibility, citing the car’s lack of straight-line speed as a key issue.
The 2026 season has been difficult for Piastri, who remains winless after securing seven victories in 2025. In contrast, Norris has already won two races this year.
