Chasing Victory Piastri’s Struggle Amid McLaren Errors

Oscar Piastri’s Frustration Grows as McLaren’s Strategic Errors Persist: Potential Wins Slipping Away

19/07/2024

Oscar Piastri’s patience is being tested as McLaren’s recurring strategic blunders continue. Will this talented young driver finally secure his first Formula 1 victory despite these setbacks?

Missed Opportunities in Austria and Silverstone

Oscar Piastri has seen potential victories slip away in recent Grands Prix, notably in Austria and at Silverstone. During Q3 at the Red Bull Ring, his lap was cancelled, forcing him to start 10th and putting him well behind George Russell and other competitors. At Silverstone, a pit stop error cost him an additional lap in the rain, losing him 17 valuable seconds. He ultimately finished the British Grand Prix just 12 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton, leaving him to wonder what might have been. With better timing, could he have claimed victory in the UK?

“It would have been tough,” Piastri admitted. “As the second car behind Lando Norris, my options were limited, but there were certainly some mistakes that could have been avoided.”

McLaren’s Ongoing Strategic Challenges

McLaren’s strategic errors continue to impact race results. At Silverstone, for example, Lando Norris completed his final stint on soft tyres despite having new medium tyres available. Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Piastri mentioned that the team had reviewed these issues and identified areas for improvement.

“We’ve analysed the situation to pinpoint where we could have done better. Before the rain, we weren’t the fastest car, but we were in the running for a win.”

Lessons from Silverstone and McLaren’s Objectives

McLaren F1 is learning from past mistakes while acknowledging a lack of experience compared to established front-runners who have been competing for over a decade. Piastri recognises that even small errors can be costly, especially in such a tight race at the top.

“When you’re competing at the front, each missed chance can mean the difference between a win and a second-place finish. We’re learning a lot as we go, and that’s crucial.”

A Boost in Competitiveness Since the Miami Grand Prix

The turning point for McLaren’s season came at the Miami Grand Prix, where car upgrades led to a significant boost in performance. Although the Australian has had to make some minor driving adjustments, the car remains familiar, allowing the team to build consistency.

“It’s not an entirely different car, but it’s much quicker. The challenge now is to refine it further to suit our style.”

Piastri Stays Hopeful and Focused on Improvement

Progress and Opportunities

Despite his growing ambition to secure his first victory, Piastri remains patient. He acknowledges McLaren’s progress and focuses on consistent improvement.

Learning from Each Race to Move Forward

“A year ago, finishing 3rd or 4th was a huge achievement for us. Today, our position is different. We’re creating opportunities and learning from each race to move forward.”

Chasing Victory: Piastri’s Struggle Amid McLaren Errors Chasing Victory: Piastri’s Struggle Amid McLaren Errors

Race Center
China Flag
Chinese GP
21 Mar 2025 - 23 Mar 2025
Free Practice 1
21 MAR 03:30 - 04:30
Sprint Qual
21 MAR 07:30 - 08:14
Sprint Race
22 MAR 03:00 - 04:00
Qualifying
22 MAR 07:00 - 08:00
Race
23 MAR 07:00 - 09:00

2025 F1 Australian Grand Prix - Race Results

Lando Norris
1
LANDO
NORRIS
57
Max Verstappen
2
MAX
VERSTAPPEN
+0.895s
George Russell
3
GEORGE
RUSSELL
+8.481s
Alex Albon
4
ALEX
ALBON
+12.773s
Kimi Antonelli
5
KIMI
ANTONELLI
+15.135s
Lance Stroll
6
LANCE
STROLL
+17.413s
Nico Hulkenberg
7
NICO
HULKENBERG
+18.423s
Charles Leclerc
8
CHARLES
LECLERC
+19.826s
Oscar Piastri
9
OSCAR
PIASTRI
+20.448s
Lewis Hamilton
10
LEWIS
HAMILTON
+22.473s
Pierre Gasly
11
PIERRE
GASLY
+26.502s
Yuki Tsunoda
12
YUKI
TSUNODA
+29.884s
Esteban Ocon
13
ESTEBAN
OCON
+33.161s
Oliver Bearman
14
OLIVER
BEARMAN
+40.351s
Liam Lawson
15
LIAM
LAWSON
47 DNF
Gabriel Bortoleto
16
GABRIEL
BORTOLETO
47 DNF
Fernando Alonso
17
FERNANDO
ALONSO
34 DNF
Carlos Sainz
18
CARLOS
SAINZ
0 DNF
Jack Doohan
19
JACK
DOOHAN
0 DNF
Isack Hadjar
20
ISACK
HADJAR
0 DNF
F1 CALENDAR 2025
Race
Date
Chinese Flag
Chinese
Shanghai International
23 Mar
Japanese Flag
Japanese
Suzuka Circuit
6 Apr
Bahrain Flag
Bahrain
Sakhir desert
13 Apr
Saudi Arabia Flag
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street
20 Apr
United States Flag
United States
Miami
04 May

2025 FORMULA 1 DRIVERS' WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Lando Norris
1
LANDO
NORRIS
25 Points
Max Verstappen
2
MAX
VERSTAPPEN
18
George Russell
3
GEORGE
RUSSELL
15
Alex Albon
4
ALEX
ALBON
12
Kimi Antonelli
5
KIMI
ANTONELLI
10
Lance Stroll
6
LANCE
STROLL
8
Nico Hulkenberg
7
NICO
HULKENBERG
6
Charles Leclerc
8
CHARLES
LECLERC
4
Oscar Piastri
9
OSCAR
PIASTRI
2
Lewis Hamilton
10
LEWIS
HAMILTON
1

2025 FORMULA 1 CONSTRUCTORS' WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

1
McLaren
27
2
Mercedes
25
3
Red Bull
18
4
Williams
12
5
Aston Martin
8
6
Sauber
6
7
Ferrari
5
8
Alpine F1
0
9
Haas F1
0
10
Racing Bulls
0
Go toTop