Oscar Piastri’s unexpected detour into the Albert Park grass during the Australian Grand Prix might have ended in disaster—if not for some unlikely training from none other than Jeremy Clarkson. The McLaren driver, who spent part of his winter break learning to handle tractors on Clarkson’s Farm, joked that his experience came in handy when he found himself stuck off-track during the race.

A Tractor-Sized Problem in Melbourne

Piastri’s race seemed all but over when his car became stranded in the grass. Even Formula 1’s official timing system briefly marked him as “retired.” However, the young Australian managed to free himself and rejoin the race, avoiding a safety car deployment that could have disrupted teammate Lando Norris’ strategy.

Reflecting on the incident, Piastri admitted he had no idea of the wider implications at the time. “I was just trying to stay in the race,” he told media in Melbourne, including GPblog. “I was trying to go forward and I couldn’t. So it’s a good thing I spent some time over the winter break at Jeremy Clarkson’s farm learning how to reverse a tractor,” he joked. “I guess it came in handy. But I was just trying to get back in the race.”

From Formula 1 to Farming Fails

Last November, Piastri appeared on Clarkson’s Farm, the hit TV series where former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson documents his chaotic attempts at running a farm. As expected, when a Formula 1 driver visits a farm, there’s only one logical activity—putting him behind the wheel of a tractor.

However, Piastri’s precision on the race track didn’t quite translate to the fields. The episode featured several humorous moments, with Clarkson remarking on the driver’s struggle. “How long has he been doing it now? He’s been doing it for 40 minutes. I think he’ll run out of fuel before he’s done,” Clarkson quipped at the time.

Piastri himself was quick to admit that farming might not be his true calling. “I don’t think Piastri’s Farm is going to happen anytime soon,” he laughed during the episode.