Villeneuve on Piastri: A Rookie Mistake

Pulse Sports Team 16:59 - 26 September 2026

1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve criticized Oscar Piastri for his costly error during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, labeling it a "rookie mistake."

The Australian driver suffered a double front-wheel lock-up during the race on the Baku street circuit while running in third position. Attempting to defend against Isack Hadjar of Red Bull on the main straight, Piastri locked his brakes and ran wide into the escape road. The incident knocked him out of podium contention and dropped him to 15th place.

Piastri ultimately finished the race in 14th, while his teammate Lando Norris retired after contact with Alpine drivers Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly.

"That was a rookie mistake," Villeneuve stated during his analysis for Sky Sports F1. "He got distracted looking in his mirrors and just completely missed the braking point."

"That's the truth. Mistakes happen. You push too hard, but you could see he was looking in his mirrors and just missed everything," the Canadian added.

Three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick, also part of the broadcast, shared her perspective on McLaren's race. "I was listening to his radio before that," Chadwick explained regarding Piastri. "There were a lot of complaints in general from both McLaren drivers that they were struggling to get the best out of their car. Lando gets a lot of guidance during the lap on where he can improve and find speed."

She added: "Ultimately, you draw the line, and it's a mistake. Even Oscar Piastri has to analyze it, but it's rare to see such a double lock-up from a driver of his caliber. It seemed strange to me."

Piastri himself explained that the lock-up caught him by surprise. "Yeah, I need to go and look at it because it definitely surprised me. I don't think I was braking super late or super hard. I just instantly locked both front tires, so I obviously need to look into it," the McLaren driver said.

"Just a frustrating end to the day. I think the first half of the race was very strong, so it's a shame there's nothing to show for it," he concluded.