Oscar Piastri anticipates receiving the same treatment as Lando Norris within McLaren. Last year, the British team rushed to bring every upgrade to the track as quickly as possible, sometimes allowing only one driver to use it that weekend. The Australian does not expect McLaren to repeat this strategy this year, as both drivers are currently vying for the world title.
The title fight between the McLaren drivers appears to have officially kicked off following Oscar Piastri’s dominant victory in Bahrain. The Australian crossed the finish line a full sixteen seconds ahead of Lando Norris, thereby reducing the points gap in the drivers’ championship to three.
Last year, McLaren opted to bring upgrades to the track as quickly as possible. This meant that sometimes one car would receive the upgrades first, while the other car had to wait. According to Piastri, McLaren will choose a different approach this year, with two title contenders on the team.”Last year, we wanted to quickly enhance the car’s performance to gain an edge in the constructors’ championship,” Piastri explains in Saudi Arabia. “This year is different, as we already have a lead in the constructors’ and both of us are now fighting for the drivers’ title. Therefore, I expect that we will both have equal opportunities and the same car to compete for the title.”
Qualification
The two McLaren drivers, both in the powerful MCL39, are very evenly matched and will remain so if the team treats them equally in terms of upgrades. So where does Piastri hope to make a difference? “Qualification is extremely important,” the driver continues. “Clean air is so crucial in a race, so you always want to qualify at the front of the field. And with two drivers in the same car, with comparable pace, if you can qualify further forward, that’s a huge advantage.”
