Oscar Piastri singles out areas for enchancment after maiden F1 podium in Japan

Oscar Piastri could have sealed his first Method 1 podium end finally weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, however McLaren’s rookie driver was already considering of areas he wanted to enhance upon shifting ahead.

Piastri began the race from second – his first front-row begin in F1 – however misplaced out to staff mate Lando Norris initially, dropping him down to 3rd. He was capable of transfer again forward of Norris into second after undercutting him within the pit lane.

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However he was unable to maintain Norris behind for lengthy, and ultimately crossed the road 17 seconds behind the Briton in third, with Piastri later admitting that regardless of ending third it was not his “strongest Sunday”.

When requested why which will have been, Piastri mentioned: “I simply wasn’t fast sufficient at sure factors of the race, I believe. You realize, these high-deg [degradation] races are in all probability the largest factor I must attempt to work on in the intervening time.

“I believe it is nonetheless fairly contemporary for me, clearly. In all of the junior racing earlier than this there are not any races like this. So, the one means you’ll be able to be taught from it’s by simply doing the races.

“So, undoubtedly a number of issues, had I had this race once more, that I might have finished a bit completely different. However that is all a part of the educational. So, yeah, thrilling to know that we will end on the rostrum, even when I really feel like there’s extra to come back.”

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Later requested to broaden additional on areas he wished to enhance on, Piastri defined: “I believe the tyre administration and simply tempo at sure factors of the race was not as robust as I might have preferred.

“The primary stint it felt like everybody was driving extraordinarily slowly after which once I tried to push a bit extra the tyres did not actually let me go a lot sooner. So, a number of issues to work on there and yeah, simply tempo general within the races.

“And like I mentioned, in these sorts of races, there isn’t any simple approach to be taught aside from simply going by means of the races and having an expertise the place it is good or unhealthy.

“I believe the one-lap tempo particularly in previous few weekends has been a superb enchancment from the beginning of the yr however undoubtedly, in these sorts of races, the race tempo continues to be an space to enhance.”