There was once a time when Lando Norris had to look at Oscar Piastri, a sprint race winner. Now, Norris has a Grand Prix win to his name. Not only does this show Piastri that the car is capable, but it also sets the bar higher for the Aussie to reach quickly. However, he is not deterred.
McLaren has one of the strongest driver lineups on the grid; both drivers are potentially world champions in the making. The only problem with that is the kind of competition it brings with it. Piastri has come close to a Grand Prix win, with P2 in Monaco. The 23-year-old told MotorsportWeek that he doesn’t feel much pressure.
Looking at his strong performances, Piastri states he’s happy no matter what. “In the long term, you gain more satisfaction and more learning from being satisfied with yourself so not putting much pressure on it.”
Piastri knows his day will come. “I think it will come naturally… I’ll just keep doing what I’ve done in the last couple of weekends and you just got to put yourself in the position to get these results and yeah you do that enough and the odds come in your favor and it’ll happen.”, he added.
Additionally, McLaren‘s big improvements give him confidence. The team has finally become a legitimate challenger to Red Bull. With some experience on his side as well, Piastri’s shot at victory isn’t far off.
Oscar Piastri knows McLaren is ready for wins
Lando Norris’ win followed by his fighting display at Monaco has only proved that McLaren is ready for the top step more often. The proof has been in the pudding.
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Piastri had said, “Let’s say our car’s never been the strongest in the slow corners, and we’ve been very quick again. So I think we can be confident wherever we go. I feel like we don’t have to rely on the high-speed circuits like we did last year to get our results, which is a very exciting thing to have going forward.”
McLaren has transformed from the underdog to a top competitor on the grid. One can see how it affects the drivers as well, with both of them walking around with a spring in their step. As Red Bull is coming within striking distance, it will be interesting to see Piastri take the fight to them the next time.
