Damon Hill spotted ‘lairy’ Oscar Piastri problem during disappointing United States GP qualifying

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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has a point to prove going into Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.

When Oscar Piastri stood on the top step of the podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, it looked like something miraculous was going to have to happen to deny him his first drivers’ championship.

However, a small wobble at Monza, exacerbated by having to give a position back to Lando Norris after a slow McLaren pit stop, has started to snowball.

Piastri could only blame himself for a catalogue of errors that resulted in his Azerbaijan Grand Prix coming to an end on the opening lap.

The next race in Singapore saw Piastri barged out of the way by Norris, going through the first set of corners, and he lost even more of his advantage to his teammate, and Max Verstappen, by finishing fourth.

The United States Grand Prix was hoped to be a chance for the Australian to reset and get back to winning ways.

However, Martin Brundle apportioned blame to Piastri for a first-lap incident in the Sprint Race that forced both McLarens to retire and hand Verstappen another opportunity to enter the championship conversation.

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Damon Hill says Oscar Piastri’s McLaren looked ‘lairy’ during United States Grand Prix qualifying

Qualifying for Sunday’s race at the Circuit of the Americas highlighted a lack of confidence for Piastri in his McLaren compared to Norris.

He was slower than his teammate through all three sessions and will line up in sixth for Sunday’s race.

Piastri’s first lap in Q3 was underwhelming to say the least, setting a slower time than Oliver Bearman in his Haas when they were both on used tyres.

Watching the Australians on board camera for BBC Sport, 1996 world champion Damon Hill said: “Yeah, there’s something funny about the way that car’s behaving.

“I was watching, it looked like it was a little bit lairy going through the very fast switchback corners, two, three, four, five, going up to nine.

“It just didn’t look planted at all. They’re in all sorts of trouble, McLaren, and they’re not realising their full potential.”

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Oscar Piastri laments a ‘tricky day’ for McLaren after United States Grand Prix qualifying

If the race finishes in the same order that all 20 drivers will start in, Piastri will lose 10 points to Norris and 17 points to Verstappen.

This would put a serious dent in his cushion at the top of the championship as momentum shifts firmly in the Dutchman’s favour.

Speaking in his official post-qualifying media session, Piastri said: “A tricky day for us today. Obviously, not the result we wanted in the Sprint.

“It’s a shame to have not been able to finish. Massive thanks to the team for the big effort to get our cars back together.

“Quali was a tougher one compared to Sprint Quali. I just didn’t really feel particularly comfortable in the car, so I wasn’t able to put it all together.

“But it’s a long race tomorrow, and anything can happen, so we’ll make up some places and do what we can.”

Brundle has told McLaren their plan for Norris and Piastri was ‘doomed to fail’, and if the Australian loses out on the championship by a few points, he’ll be left wondering whether he made the right call following his team’s orders to the letter instead of prioritising his own interests.