Piastri accepts penalty, praises F1 legend Jones’ lasting impact

Williams and Oscar Piastri have led tributes to Alan Jones, the 1980 Formula 1 world champion who died on Thursday at age 80 after a short illness.

Jones, an Australian icon, won the drivers' and constructors' championships with Williams in 1980.

He was the team's first world champion.

Williams called him a 'true legend' who formed an 'extraordinary bond' with founder Frank Williams and technical director Patrick Head.

'He set the standard for Williams champions: a fast, uncompromising racer with a challenger mentality who loved motor racing and dedicated his life to it,' the team said in a statement.

Claire Williams, Frank's daughter and the team's former deputy principal, added her own tribute.

'Alan is a hugely important part of Williams and F1's history,' she said.

'He played a critical role in the team's earliest success, working closely with Dad and Patrick Head to launch Williams into the history books.'

She recalled that Jones scored Williams' first podium in 1978 and brought the team its first drivers' and constructors' championships in 1980.

'Dad was enormously fond of Alan; I think he was one of Dad's favourite drivers of all time,' she said.

'Alan was a much-loved figure in the paddock, keeping in touch with the team over the years.'

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also paid his respects.

'Alan was a formidable competitor, a natural leader and an icon who inspired generations of fans, particularly in his beloved Australia,' Domenicali said.

'Beyond his achievements on track, Alan will be remembered for his character, his passion and the lasting mark he left on Formula 1.'

Oscar Piastri, the current Australian F1 star driving for McLaren, delivered a heartfelt tribute on F1 TV ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

'Obviously a very sad day,' Piastri said.

'I think a life that should be very well celebrated.'

He praised Jones not only for his driving but for who he was as a person.

'A guy that had a lot of success on the racetrack and Australia's most recent world champion,' Piastri said.

'But I also think the person he was, a very, very straightforward person.

Straight to the point.'

Piastri reflected on a personal connection with Jones.

'On a personal level as well he often had nice things to say about me, which was nice,' he said.

'I've had the honour to drive his world championship-winning car as well.'

That car was the Williams FW07, the machine that carried Jones to the 1980 title.

Piastri accepts penalty, praises F1 legend Jones’ lasting impact

'So very cool to be able to experience that and connect with him in some kind of way,' Piastri added.

'Obviously a sad day, but a day that should celebrate a great life.'

Jones had been a vocal supporter of Piastri in public.

Earlier this year, ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, Jones told the Sydney Morning Herald that Piastri had the talent and temperament to become Australia's next world champion.

'He's just an extremely talented bloke, as in talented like you don't see all that often,' Jones said.

'He's got the attributes, the mind and whatever else it takes to become a world champion.'

Jones noted that Piastri 'wears his emotions less on his sleeve than some of the others, and that's a quality you need.'

Piastri is now heading into the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after a difficult stretch.

He has gone 15 races without a podium since Miami, matching the longest such drought of his F1 career.

His most recent race in Mexico City ended in disappointment.

A post-race penalty dropped him from eighth to 15th after a late collision with Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad.

Piastri accepted the 10-second penalty based on F1's driving standards guidelines.

But he suggested the guidelines are difficult to apply at certain corners.

'I think looking at the guidelines, it's kind of hard to argue against the penalty,' Piastri said.

'But I think that set of corners in Mexico, that's where the guidelines are very tricky to enforce.'

He explained that the Turn 1-2 complex at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez creates a unique problem.

'Every corner's slightly different, every sequence of corners especially, and yeah it kind of feels like when your only option to avoid an incident is to cut the track, you're not left in a great place,' he said.

Piastri described Lindblad's defense as 'very robust.'

'I think if you look at the guidelines he had the right to [defend],' Piastri said.

'I think also for myself I had the right to try and make that move stick until the point where I tried to back out which is when we collided.'

The FIA's driving standards guidelines state that a driver on the inside must have its front axle level with the mirrors of the car in front to earn racing room at the apex.

For an outside line, the attacking driver must have their front axle level with that of the defending car.

Piastri hung his McLaren around the outside of Lindblad into Turn 1, intending to gain the inside line for Turn 2.

Both drivers held their lines.

Lindblad's rear-left wheel made contact with Piastri's front right.