Oscar Piastri sums up his first weekend with the complete McLaren update and explains why he is optimistic about the upcoming races
“It doesn’t feel much different, just faster,” is how Oscar Piastri describes the latest update for the McLaren MCL38. After Lando Norris already had this on the car in Miami, Piastri only had a few parts available there. In Imola, he also drove with the complete package for the first time
He put the McLaren in second place in qualifying, even though he was not allowed to keep it due to a subsequent penalty, and in the race he achieved his best result of the season with P4. According to him, the update also played a part in this.
“It definitely makes the car a bit more pleasant to drive, but I think that whenever the car is faster, it is also a bit more pleasant to drive,” explains Piastri and emphasizes: “We are definitely tackling some of the things we set out to do.”
“Our strengths and weaknesses seem to be a little different now. Our high speed is no longer as strong as it used to be, but our low speed is much stronger than before,” he reports. This is because McLaren previously struggled on the slow sections of the track in particular.
In addition, the balance is “a bit better” with the new package, he reports and explains: “With these rules and these tires, there is only so much precision you can achieve. I think everyone will have a good feeling. “
Piastri: McLaren is “definitely getting closer “
“I think if you ask everyone, they probably have a similar balance, just some areas are a bit more pronounced than others. So I have the feeling that we are improving and especially making the car faster,” explains Piastri.
“When you make the car faster, especially in race trim, it makes your life so much easier. I think that’s a really encouraging sign. Last year we were close over one lap, but struggled a bit more in the race,” he recalls.
“And this year we are just as strong, if not stronger, in the race, which is really encouraging,” he emphasizes, explaining that he is therefore also “confident” for the upcoming race in Monaco. Because class leader Red Bull currently looks vulnerable.
“Of course, Red Bull had a difficult start to the weekend [in Imola]. But that’s two weekends in a row now where they haven’t looked as strong as they once were,” emphasized Piastri, whose team-mate finished second behind Max Verstappen in Imola.
Before that, Norris even won in Miami. “We are definitely getting closer,” Piastri therefore emphasizes and explains: “I think that we and Ferrari are increasing the pressure [on Red Bull]. I think we can be very confident as a team wherever we go.”
“And I think Monaco will hopefully be a good weekend,” said Piastri.
