Formula 1 championship leader Oscar Piastri said cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at the Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration, Afrosport reports.
Piastri made an expletive comment about Alpine after having to go off track to avoid Argentine driver Franco Colapinto.
The Australian however clarified at a fan event in London on Wednesday that his swearing had just been at the spur of the moment.
He said: “It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines.
“So, it was kind of just a build-up of a few things. And it was more out of frustration. I still have a lot of friends at Alpine. A lot of people that I respect a lot.
“It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah — more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race.”
Silverstone here we come pic.twitter.com/9jx6VHV5pV
— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) June 30, 2025
Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to publicly reject the seat.
He has since won seven races with McLaren and recorded 19 podium finishes, four pole positions and six fastest laps.
