Las Vegas (AFP) – Oscar Piastri said there had been some “tough moments” as his commanding Formula One lead evaporated, but he was “looking forward to getting back in the car in Vegas” this weekend. The Australian started the season in style with four wins in the first nine races. After his fifth victory in round 15 in the Netherlands, Piastri led McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 34 points. Yet, going into round 22 in Nevada this weekend, Piastri trails Norris by 24 points.
“I was particularly strong in the first half of the season. Even though things aren’t going as well now, I don’t think I should have done anything differently recently,” he said. “There’s going to be bumps along the road.” There are a maximum of 83 points available in the last three races and the sprint on the final weekend in Qatar. Asked if he needed to win them all, Piastri replied: “That would help!”
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“It’s going to be difficult now to try and win, but the mentality of trying to go out each week and get the most out of it is still there,” he added. His problems have started in qualifying, leaving him pressing to catch up when the flag drops. In the first 15 races of the season, Piastri secured five pole positions and was second on the grid five times. In the last six, he has not started from the front row. In round 16 in Monza, Piastri was edged onto the second row by reigning champion Max Verstappen and by Norris.
In the race, Piastri climbed to second because the McLaren pit crew botched a Norris tyre change. The team asked Piastri to give the place back, which he did. The difference between second and third meant a six-point swing to Norris. The following race in Baku was a disaster as Piastri made what he called “silly mistakes.” He crashed in qualifying, started ninth on the grid, virtually stalled at the start, dropped to last, and then crashed into a wall. That ended a run of 34 consecutive races in the points.
As Piastri has struggled, teammate Norris has blossomed. In the last three races, the Englishman has finished second in the United States and then won in Brazil and Mexico.
– ‘Tough conversations’ –
In Austin and Mexico, Piastri said, “something fundamental wasn’t working.” “The other races have been a combination of different things going wrong,” he said. “What some might say is ‘the difficult world of motor sport.'”
“There have been some tough lessons to learn, some tough moments to have to accept, and nothing more than that.” The dip in form coincided with the team order for Piastri to cede second to Norris in Monza. Frenchman Pierre Gasly, who drives for Alpine, wondered if there was a link. “It’s inexplicable. You can be unhappy with your team, but you can’t forget how to drive from one weekend to the next,” Gasly told AFP.
Piastri said no driver on the grid was entirely happy with their team and that McLaren had addressed issues. “There have been some tough conversations through the year,” he said. “Some things to sort out and realign on, but I’m very comfortable we’ve done a good job on it.”
He’s eager to be back on the bumpy road. “I’m looking forward to getting back in the car in Vegas. I’m concentrating on performance, building a strong weekend, and maximizing every opportunity,” he said.
© 2024 AFP
