Oscar Piastri believes F1 fans consistently make one ‘natural’ assumption about him that’s completely false

McLaren star Oscar Piastri has come a long way in his 53 Grand Prix starts, to the point where he is now disappointed with a podium finish

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix looked like the perfect opportunity for Oscar Piastri to extend his lead in the drivers’ championship.

He started the race from pole position, and as he approached the first corner, it was George Russell’s Mercedes who looked like his biggest threat.

However, Red Bull star Max Verstappen sailed around the outside of him with a daring move to take control of the Grand Prix and ultimately go on to secure his second victory of the 2025 F1 season.

Piastri admitted he made a mistake in his battle with Verstappen, braking too soon for the first corner and assuming the Dutchman couldn’t place his car around the outside.

In the grand scheme of the current campaign, it’s one of the few errors the Australian has made which is why he’s leading the standings from his more experienced teammate Lando Norris.

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Oscar Piastri admits he still gets nervous before every Formula 1 session

In the build-up to what could be the final race at Imola, Piastri took part in an interview with the Daily Mail.

Piastri was asked about the fact that most fans assume he’s cool and calm under pressure, as many of his radio messages and his demeanour outside of the car typically suggest.

However, he explained: “People might think that from the outside, but I’m still nervous before every session and especially the race.

“It is a natural reaction.”

He was then asked about his journey to F1 and how it’s shaped his career and explained: “I first got a taste of racing in Europe in 2014.

“It was very challenging to race against not only the best in Australia but in the world.

“The journey into Europe was the last step I wanted to take. I knew I had to do it to get to No. 1 or at least to get a professional role in motorsport.

“There were obvious difficulties. I had to leave behind my family, my friends, everything I had known, and go to the other side of the world.

“The moment I really believed that I could reach Formula 1 was probably when I got to Formula 3.

“That’s when I started doing F1 weekends (on the undercard). I joined the Renault Junior Academy, so I started to get a bit wrapped up in F1 and it didn’t so much seem like another world.

“I realised that the idea of becoming an F1 driver was no longer a dream, but a goal. And that’s how it happened.”

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Karun Chandhok questions McLaren’s Oscar Piastri strategy at Imola

Piastri was following Verstappen for the first period of the race, but it was clear something had changed in the hierarchy on the grid.

Instead of McLaren having a pace advantage over Red Bull, Verstappen was pulling away, and when Piastri’s tyres started to struggle, he was called in for an early pit stop.

It put him out of sequence with his rivals, and Karun Chandhok was left confused by McLaren’s Piastri strategy as a result.

When the full safety car was called after Kimi Antonelli’s retirement, the Australian had run out of new tyres and was unable to challenge Verstappen from the restart or keep Norris behind him.

It means Piastri’s lead over both drivers in the championship was reduced, and it’s interesting to note that his icy exterior during race weekends is something of a facade considering the nerves he feels before each race.