McLaren driver Oscar Piastri expects a battle with Mercedes in the Australian home race and looks back to the past: 2015 grid kid of Daniil Kwyat
After the first two races of the 2024 Formula 1 season, a duel for third power in the field between Mercedes and McLaren seems to be emerging. While Red Bull is already enthroned above the rest, Ferrari still seems to be a little too fast for the two Mercedes-engined teams
No wonder McLaren driver Oscar Piastri expects fifth place to be the maximum for the team from Woking in his second Formula 1 home race: “I think if you’re realistic, we’re in the fight for the third-fastest team. At least in Saudi Arabia we were a step closer to Ferrari, but at the moment we don’t have enough.”
“That’s why I think the battle is probably with Mercedes at the moment. Hopefully we can challenge a bit more as the year goes on, but at the moment, although I don’t want to disappoint the hopes of the people at home, I think we can only achieve more than fifth place if we have a bit of luck. “
Will Piastri get the first podium for an Australian in Melbourne?
But alongside Daniel Ricciardo, Piastri will be under particular scrutiny in Melbourne as the 22-year-old Australian will be aiming to claim the first official podium by an Australian at his home race. In 2014, Ricciardo crossed the finish line in second place in the Red Bull, but was subsequently disqualified for exceeding the maximum fuel flow rate.
“I remember watching the race on TV,” says Piastri, who was twelve years old at the time. “It’s crazy to be racing on the same track ten years later, with the same guy I saw on TV. That’s pretty cool. Hopefully we can both have a good weekend and make the home crowd proud.”
But just one year later, Piastri was already virtually part of the official Formula 1 circus, as he revealed at Thursday’s media day: “In 2015, I was a kid on the grid holding the flag for Daniil Kwjat, who then broke down on the formation lap.”
“So I was his lucky charm that weekend. But that was the first Formula 1 race I saw live, and I think the only Formula 1 race I saw live before I switched to Formula 3 and watched it from the paddock. That was also a very special weekend. “
Go-kart track names straight after Piastri
After the first two races, Piastri is even ahead of his team-mate Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings. Incidentally, in preparation for the weekend, Norris has been driving on a nearby kart track that has a straight named after Piastri.
“It’s a privilege to have my name on the home straight,” said the Australian. “I started there years ago with go-karts. I was just chatting to Lando a few hours ago. He raced there yesterday and I think the club let him know who owns the track. But no, we talked about it, and it’s one of the toughest tracks in the country.”
“Lando agreed emphatically. I think his ribs agreed too. But it’s a great privilege to have that mark there. And yes, I have to try to get back there. It’s certainly a bumpy place, and I have to prepare my ribs for it when I get back. But it’s a great honor to have my name on there.”
Norris himself admits that Piastri is currently making him a better driver as he “was a tough nut to crack last year. He’s obviously improved because it’s going to be a second year, he just feels more comfortable. And he’s going to put pressure on me. I’m going to put pressure on him and I’m looking forward to our fights together. “
“You always want a teammate who can push you,” adds the Briton. “And in some corners they drive a different style, and that works. Then you can learn from that and use it. And sometimes the style of me or someone else might work in a different place. So if your teammate is a good teammate, you can always learn from them. “
