F1 News
Piastri thankful for Jeremy Clarkson lessons: 'It came in handy today'
Oscar Piastri is glad he received a lesson from former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson about how to drive tractors during the past winter break as the skill came in handy during the Australian Grand Prix. After getting himself into trouble in the tricky conditions, this new skill ensured that Piastri did not leave his home Grand Prix without any points.
During the Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit, Piastri ended up stuck in the grass, after driving a strong race up until that point. It seemed as though his race was over, with even the Formula 1 timing screens taking the Australian driver out of the race. Despite this, he managed to reverse off the grass where his car was stuck and return to the track, preventing his teammate Lando Norris from being disadvantaged by a safety car.
"I was just trying to stay in the race," he told GPblog and other media in Melbourne. "So it's a good thing I spent some time in the off-season trying to learn how to reverse a tractor on Jeremy Clarkson’s farm, I think it came in handy today," he joked. "I was just trying to get myself back in the race."
Lessons from Clarkson's Farm
Piastri was a guest on the television programme Clarkson's Farm last November, where he got to help out on the former Top Gear presenter's farm. Piastri ran into difficulty during the programme when he was asked to drive a tractor, which led to some hilarious moments. The Australian driver also recognised that he had no hidden talent for tractors, posting on social media at the time, "Not sure Piastri’s farm will be happening any time soon."
This article has been created in collaboration with Kim Hoefnagel.
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