Comedian Dave Hughes took to social media to lambast the closing moments of Sunday’s race.
In Bahrain, Piastri cruised to his second win of the season after a strong performance from pole position, taking fastest lap in the process.
Behind him, George Russell was locked in battle with Lando Norris.
Russell was struggling with an ailing Mercedes, which saw him come under fire from his McLaren-shod countryman.
The battle of the Brits captured the television director’s attention as coverage followed the fight for second even as Piastri crossed the line to win.
Instead, the Australian’s achievement was relegated to a small window in the timing totem.
“Can we see the winner cross the line, for f***s sake,” Hughes fumed.
“Oh, hang on, we’ve got it, there it is, he’s in a little box.”
As David Croft’s Sky Sports commentary hails Piastri for winning the race, Hughes was incredulous.
“Does he?” he questions, as coverage remained locked on the all-British battle for second.
“What’s the f***ing camera on these two for then? It’s a joke.”
Hughes was not alone in his frustration, with the coverage branded “disrespectful” by F1 YouTuber Matt Gallagher.
“I genuinely thought it was borderline disrespectful to not show Oscar Piastri coming over the line with the big box,” he said in a P1 with Matt & Tommy Bahrain GP reaction video.
His co-host, Tom Bellingham, added: “Norris and Russell were never going to change at that point.
“When do you ever see an overtake into the final corner at Bahrain? Never
“In any situation, apart from if it’s a championship fight and they’re fifth and sixth on the final lap in Abu Dhabi and they’re going for the world title, fine, then we put them in the mini box; someone else wins, congratulations.
“Any other scenario, you have the winner in the main feed and in a small box, if you want to show something.
“Oscar has not been shown the entire race because he’s dominated.
“He deserves that moment where everybody looks at him coming over the line to celebrate.”
The world feed is produced by Formula 1 Management, which is based out of a facility at Biggin Hill, to the south of London.
That base product includes on-screen timing, graphics, and replays.
From there, it is distributed to rights holders, such as Sky Sports, on top of which commentary is added, with no input on the vision itself.
For his part, Croft insists he attempts to be as impartial as he can be while calling the action.
“You try and follow the story wherever that story might be, and Formula 1 is unique in that there are many different stories that happen during the course of the race,” he told Speedcafe last year.
“You’ve also got to talk to the pictures, which we have no control over, on Sky, at all – they’re all from a world feed – so you’re reacting to what that director wants to put out there.”
The situation remains frustrating for Hughes.
“Britain being in charge of the world feed for the Formula 1 coverage is so annoying,” he said.
“All they do is focus on their drivers.
“There’s like seconds to go, Oscar Piastri is about to win, the Aussie bloody champ.
“You wouldn’t even know he’s in the race. Crazy.”
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