Oscar Piastri, the Australian racer, is not always as calm and relaxed as he appears over the radio. He reveals that he has his “moments of anger” and is ruthless enough for Formula 1. Despite his preference for maintaining composure, the McLaren driver is also prepared to race aggressively against his competitors.
Piastri has achieved significant success early in his Formula 1 career, even securing his first victory during his 35th F1 race. The Australian has gained a reputation for his calm and relaxed demeanor, leading critics to question whether Piastri can fight as fiercely as racers like Max Verstappen.
“Just because I’m calm doesn’t mean I’m not ruthless,” Piastri defended himself in an interview with Sky Sports. “There have been many challenging situations in my career where you had to use your elbows. I think I said last year that I don’t want to be seen as a troublemaker on the track, but you have to earn your respect. I believe I’ve done that, and I’ve tried to race hard but fair against people.”
For Piastri, it’s ultimately a matter of balance. “I certainly think I’m ruthless enough, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of my calmness and kindness,” said the McLaren driver.
‘I Still Have My Moments’
The Melbourne-based driver reveals that he has also “consciously worked” on maintaining his composure as much as possible. “Because there are still moments when motorsport can be quite frustrating at best, I would say it’s a combination of my natural demeanor and a conscious effort to keep it that way and just be professional,” Piastri explained on the Going Purple podcast. “I think a lot of people think I’m very calm, which I also think I am, but I still have my moments of anger.”
