Second in qualifying at Suzuka of all places – the first time Oscar Piastri had visited the fearsome track – summed up why McLaren was so impressed with the rookie, who scored two podiums (and should have had another at Silverstone but for a safety car) and that excellent win in the entertaining Qatar sprint.
A tyre management weakness compared to Lando Norris stood out as an area he’ll need to improve in 2024, but McLaren reckoned Norris had made a particular step in this area this year via dedicated simulator sessions. Perhaps something similar can be expected of Piastri as he continues to accumulate experience on F1’s tricky Pirellis.
"[For both McLaren drivers] I think their achievements have been absolutely remarkable. But they are in a different stage of their journey.
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"Oscar was a rookie driver in Formula 1 competition, which is where the best drivers in the world participate. And you see [his quality] in the fact that in tracks in which Oscar had a certain familiarity – in tracks in which Oscar could do P1-P2-P3 sessions and the full draw – he was very competitive.
Source: Autosport