Oscar Piastri has revealed bettering in qualifying is his predominant level of focus for the 2025 System 1 season after evaluating unfavourably to McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.
Piastri was outqualified 21-3 by Norris in 2024, albeit usually by small margins, with Norris additionally getting the higher of the Australian in dash qualifying this yr. Meaning Piastri has regressed in comparison with his rookie 2023 season, when he outperformed Norris on seven Saturdays regardless of being much less skilled at that stage than he’s now.
A few of that’s defined by Norris having made a number of decisive errors in 2023 which knocked him again on the beginning grid, an space the 2024 championship runner-up labored on with the staff over the past low season.
It now appears to be like like Piastri will observe an identical strategy of soul looking out this winter to iron out his personal qualifying weaknesses that seeped into his driving over the previous marketing campaign.
“This season I really feel like I made good steps ahead, there’s nonetheless room to go,” mentioned Piastri, who completed fourth within the 2024 standings.
“The most important one has been leaving a couple of too many positions on the desk in qualifying. I do not assume I’ve ever actually made life straightforward on myself within the races in that facet. In order that’s the large focus of the low season, attempting to get these final hundredths, final tenths.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Group, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Group
Photograph by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Photographs
“I really feel like in all the opposite areas, I’ve been capable of present what I am able to and likewise present that I’ve improved. So once more, now it’s simply placing all the things collectively as a result of the gaps now are very small, or non-existent, so if I can get all of it collectively, then I shall be on my approach.”
One silver lining, in accordance with the 23-year-old, is that he has a superb grasp of how he can enhance his execution in qualifying slightly than having to attempt to perceive the place the lap time has to come back from.
When requested by Motorsport.com if he’s assured he could make that subsequent step, Piastri mentioned: “I feel so, the large factor for me is there haven’t been many events the place it has been laborious for me to know the place the time has gone.
“After qualifying [in Abu Dhabi, where he was two tenths down on polesitter Norris], I just about knew instantly the place I had gone unsuitable. It isn’t a case of actually needing to search out that additional step, it is having the ability to be on prime of my recreation each time.
“I really feel like when I’ve been on it, I’ve been ok. That is to not say there’s not nonetheless room to develop on prime of that, however the encouraging factor is the potential has been there. So, the subsequent step is realising that potential each weekend. If I can try this, we’re in for a enjoyable season.”
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Filip Cleeren
System 1
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
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