Oscar Piastri jokingly shades Virat Kohli when reminiscing about Leclerc overtake: 'No shoulder barge this time!'

The Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is a prestigious event that attracts some of Australia's biggest names. Following in the footsteps of actor Hugh Jackman, Australian F1 driver Oscar Piastri was recently spotted at the MCG, enjoying day three of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test match.

Interviewed by Adam Gilchrist for Fox Sports during the lunch break, Piastri had his own thoughts regarding the controversial situation between Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas, with the experienced Indian batter making his presence felt against the teenaged debutant on the first day of the match.

Piastri had his own tongue-in-cheek comment regarding the matter, telling Gilchrist while reflecting on his late-breaking overtake of Charles Leclerc at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: “It has been a cool year and that was a highlight - I didn't cop a hip and shoulder for trying to take him on either so that was good.”

Not a stranger to contact on the racetrack and take-ons with his fellow competitors on the F1 circuit, Piastri had finished the 2024 F1 season after a clash with world champion Max Verstappen, after which the usually circumspect driver commented on team radio saying “Move of a world champion, that one.”

Speaking more on the overtake of Leclerc, which helped him claim his second race win in the 2024 season, Piastri said "It was a good move to pull off on a track like that. That was a really special moment."

Piastri's connection with cricket

The 23-year-old Australian spoke more about his connection with cricket, having grown up in Australia but also having spent significant time in the UK in his preparation to become a racer.

"Being in a British team, there is a lot of banter going on, especially when the Ashes are on. I've been [to the Boxing Day Test] once before but only a couple of years ago. I came to a few 20/20s and one dayers when I was a kid but then I was away for ages in Europe,” explained Piastri, who helped McLaren to winning the 2024 Constructors’ Championship alongside Englishman Lando Norris. “It's nice to be back and it's my first time properly out in the middle during cricket season, not footy season."

Piastri also reflected on a more personal relationship he shares with cricket, it being one of the sports he grew up playing. "I was more of a bowler than a batter, but never at a very high level. It was kind of the only sport left that I could play in the off season of racing. I always tried to play it, even when I moved to the UK for school.”

Piastri had been in the UK during Australia’s tour of England for the Ashes, with sharing clips of him facing up against Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc in the nets. Piastri once again provided a fun interview as he took control of the remote-control camera called ‘Foxy’ at the MCG, operating it during the lunch break for the broadcasters.

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