Virat Kohli’s feisty altercation with Sam Konstas was an act that seemed all too familiar for Australian racing sensation Oscar Piastri.

A simple shoulder bump from an Indian star onto a debutant sparked flashbacks for Piastri to his fierce overtake on Charles Leclerc at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

No stranger to the heat of battle, the “brave” move by the Australian star paved the way for his first race win in the F1 and set the tone for the outlook of the rest of his season.

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Like Piastri, Konstas’ interaction with his idol was one he will not forget as he continues to showcase his talent on the big stage.

But the incident with the teen sensation was one Piastri did not shy away from, taking a cheeky swipe at Kohli’s behaviour.

‘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,” Piastri, laughing, told Fox Cricket.

“It was a good move to pull off on a track like that. That was a really special moment.”

Driving with English giants McLaren in the Formula 1, Piastri admitted his connection to the game of cricket is one he has never parted ways with.

Given the significant nature of the rivalry between England and Australia, the young driver admitted he is all for the banter that exists between himself and his British team.

“Being in a British team, there is a lot of banter going on, especially when the Ashes are on,” he said.

“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.

‘It’s nice to be back and it’s my first time properly out in the middle during cricket season, not footy season.”

Piastri was confident his abilities would not position him near selection for the Australian cricket team had he not taken up racing, but says his time on the field was best spent as a bowler.

“I participated [at school], I’ll say that,” he laughed when asked of his cricket experience.

“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.

“My claim to fame was I played one game in the firsts but that was because all the year 12 equivalents left for their exams so I got a gig.

“It is pretty cool to represent you’re country,” Piastri continued.

“To finish off with two wins and Constructor’s title for the team, hopefully, we can do that again next year and finish a few spots higher in the driver’s championship too.”