Oscar Piastri's first victory in Formula 1 appears to have been achieved under challenging circumstances, as the Australian driver revealed he was competing with a fractured rib.
Challenges and Achievements: Piastri's Overcoming
As the F1 season enters its mid-year break, teams and drivers are taking the time to recharge before resuming action at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort at the end of this month.
During this period, Piastri shared an X-ray image on social media showing a fracture in his left rib. The X-ray, dated July 8, indicates that the injury occurred shortly after he finished in fourth place at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone.
Despite the injury, Piastri secured his first Grand Prix victory in Hungary two weeks later, seemingly still affected by the fractured rib.
“First part of the season completed. First GP win. First broken bone. Rib is enjoying the break,” Piastri commented on X (formerly Twitter).
He continued his impressive streak with a second-place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Piastri's strong performances have propelled him to fourth place in the drivers' championship, just 10 points behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and 32 points behind his teammate Lando Norris. Championship leader Max Verstappen is currently 110 points ahead of Piastri.
McLaren is also in the hunt for the constructors' championship, sitting in second place behind Red Bull, with a 42-point deficit.
Piastri has had a remarkable second year in F1, gradually closing the gap to his more experienced teammate Norris, who initially received a lot of attention for his performances at the start of the season.
With 10 race weekends remaining in the 2024 season, the next event will be the Dutch Grand Prix from August 23 to 25.
