Oscar Piastri reveals broken rib – which he sustained before first F1 victory
The McLaren driver recorded the biggest win of his career despite being hampered with a rib injury
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Your support makes all the difference.Oscar Piastri has revealed that he competed in the last two F1 races before the summer break – including his first grand prix win in Hungary – with a fractured rib.
The Australian driver, in his second season with McLaren, has impressed as Lando Norris’ team-mate this season. After 14 races, he sits fourth in the drivers’ standings on 167 points, 32 points behind Norris in second and 110 off Max Verstappen in first.
The 23-year-old also secured his first grand prix victory in Budapest last month, albeit in somewhat controversial circumstances as Norris was asked by his team to step aside to allow Piastri to cross the line in first.
Yet as the teams and drivers enjoy a few weeks of rest during the summer shutdown, Piastri divulged on X/Twitter that he sustained a fractured rib, with an X-ray undertaken on 8 July. That was the day after the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, when Piastri finished fourth.
Given his results since, it is thought his participation in the Dutch Grand Prix next week is not in any doubt.
The Australian posted the scan alongside a number of other photos, saying: “First part of the season done. First GP victory. First broken bone. Rib’s enjoying the break.”
Alongside his victory in Hungary, he also finished second to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in Belgium following George Russell’s disqualification.
That was Piastri’s fourth podium of the season and he will be looking to build on his strong start in the remaining 10 races of the 2024 season as McLaren target the constructors’ title – they currently trail Red Bull by 42 points.
F1 returns with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort next week on 23-25 August.
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