Feeling as if his runner’s-up finish at the Japanese Grand Prix was “as good as a win”, a buoyant Oscar Piastri predicts rejuvenated McLaren can still cause headaches this season for Formula One’s dominant Mercedes pacesetters.
Enjoying what he hailed as “one of my best weekends in F1” in Suzuka, Piastri demonstrated with his second-place behind Mercedes’ teen ace Kimi Antonelli – which might have been even better if not for an unfortunately-timed safety car – that constructors champs McLaren are back in business.
So is the 24-year-old Australian himself after finally managing to get off the start line in the season’s third race and rocket up the title race leaderboard to sixth -even if there’s still a yawning 51-point gap behind the youngest ever championship leader, 19-year-old Antonelli.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t quite enough for the win, but at the moment a result like today is as good as a win for us,” enthused Piastri to reporters an hour after he’d told his team jovially over the radio: “Turns out when we start these things, we’re pretty good!”
Indeed, he was very good, from the moment he got off to a rocket start to grab the lead from third on the grid all the way through his terrific defence in an entertaining duel with George Russell’s faster Mercedes.
Certainly, there was little surprise when he ended up being voted driver of the day, even ahead of the precocious Antonelli.
“As race weekends go, we couldn’t have done any better than that,” said Piastri, as even his world champion teammate Lando Norris, who only finished fifth, was happy to agree it had been a “strong” few days for McLaren.
“I’m very happy with the performance that I put in, very happy with the performance from the whole team. The strategy was good, I think we just nailed everything,” added Piastri.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t quite enough for the win, but at the moment a result like today is as good as a win for us.
“I think this was probably one of my best weekends in F1. In the race there wasn’t anything more we could have done. We got a good start, the pace was good, and I felt like I was strategic or smart with how I used the boost and how I managed that side of racing.
“Obviously, the safety car (which enabled Antonelli to take advantage of a cheap pit stop after Piastri had already boxed) was a shame, but I think as race weekends go, we couldn’t have done any better than that.
“We’ve got a long way to go, but we showed that if we get everything as good as we can get it, then we can cause a few headaches.”
The Victorian was the toast of his team, with McLaren team boss Andrea Stella having praised Piastri’s attitude over the weekend after his horror start to the season.
“Based on what we have seen in testing, in practice, in qualifying, based on his overall attitude and mental strength, I think we are seeing the best version of Oscar, the strongest Oscar since he’s been in Formula 1,” said the Italian.
“Really well done to Oscar.”
McLaren will now be hoping to build on their encouraging Suzuka comeback with an unexpected five-week gap, following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Grands Prix, to work on improvements before F1 returns to action in Miami at the start of May.
Meanwhile, four-times world champion Max Verstappen, who had declared himself “beyond frustrated” after qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, said he was considering his future in the sport after finishing eighth in Suzuka.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the Red Bull driver said his lack of enjoyment at driving the new generation of cars was making him question whether racing in the sport was still worth it.
“I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock,” he said in the interview.
“Privately, I’m very happy.
“You also wait for 24 races. This time it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about ‘is it worth it?'”
Verstappen has been an outspoken critic of F1’s new regulations and engine era.
He has repeatedly said his dissatisfaction doesn’t stem from Red Bull’s poor form but due to the new rules placing more of an emphasis on energy management than flat-out racing.
Verstappen, who is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028, said he had plenty of pursuits beyond Formula One to keep him engaged.
The Dutchman recently competed in a sports car race at German track Nuerburgring’s fearsome Nordschleife layout in preparation for the 24 Hours of Nurburgring race in May.
He also drove a Japanese GT car at Japan’s Fuji racetrack ahead of the weekend in Suzuka.
“But it’s a bit sad to be honest that we’re even talking about this. You don’t need to feel sorry for me. I’ll be fine,” he said.
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