F1: Oscar Piastri earned valuable wet-weather experience following Max Verstappen

In the rain-soaked 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri utilised race winner Max Verstappen as a valuable guide to navigate the challenging conditions.

Piastri, hailing from Australia, closely trailed his teammate Lando Norris, who finished ninth, resulting in a commendable double points finish for the team.

Despite the treacherous weather, Piastri impressively avoided any major errors throughout the 78 laps, distinguishing himself from more experienced drivers like Sergio Perez and George Russell who fell victim to the inclement weather.

While discussing with his team over the radio, Piastri admitted to coming perilously close to brushing against the barriers.

"I don't think there was any touches, but some very close moments - especially on the slicks," said Piastri.

"One time, I keyed up the radio to talk and almost put it in the wall mid-sentence. I won't do that next time! But a few close calls."

He also revealed that he made use of the blue flags to yield to leader Verstappen, subsequently following the Red Bull driver to gain invaluable experience in maneuvering an F1 car on slippery surfaces.

"When it was raining on the slicks, understandably, he was being very cautious. I could keep with him quite well there," Piastri told Motorsport.com.

"Even when we came out on inters, I could keep with him quite well. Once the track dried up and he got a bit more comfortable, then he was a fair bit quicker."