Oscar Piastri shrugged off his second-place start at the Italian Grand Prix, calling it “not too bad” after a bold move that shook up the race early on. The McLaren driver, locked in a tight battle with teammate Lando Norris for the 2025 title, wasted no time diving past polesitter Norris on the opening lap at Monza.
Piastri’s lunge at the second chicane caught Norris off guard, forcing the Briton wide and allowing Piastri to snatch the lead. “I got a decent getaway and saw the gap inside,” Piastri said post-race. “It was a clean pass, and from there, I just focused on building a gap.”
The overtake sparked immediate drama, with Norris radioing his frustration and later admitting he was “surprised” by the aggression from his own garage. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella praised the racing but urged caution to avoid intra-team collisions amid their push against Red Bull.
Piastri held firm to claim victory, extending his points lead, while Norris recovered to second. “We’re teammates, but on track, it’s every driver for themselves,” Piastri added. “Starting second turned out alright in the end.”
