O'Ward Satisfied - McLaren F1 Struggles for Speed in Mexico

McLaren F1 continues to chase competitive speed in Mexico, while O’Ward remains pleased with his execution of the team’s strategy.

Oscar Piastri was McLaren F1’s standout performer on the opening day of the Mexican Grand Prix. The Australian driver struggled initially with the lack of grip at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, but he has already noted some improvements.

“Yes, we seem to be in good shape; we’ve made solid progress since FP1, as it was challenging. We’re in better form now, though we still need to find more pace, especially compared to Ferrari, but we’re in the mix,” Piastri stated.

“I just lacked confidence with the car, much like last week. But we made a good step forward for FP2, which is encouraging. It’s always nice to end the day on a positive note and have something to build on.”

Lando Norris, however, remains unconvinced after the initial sessions: “Not great, we’re lacking laps, and we need to make up for lost time. I don’t have a good feeling because there’s so little grip. I’m sure we’ll find some tomorrow, but there’s work to be done.”

The Briton did see value in comparing two different specifications, having run with an upgraded floor: “It’s useful to make direct comparisons, but it’s not ideal. Oscar was quick today, while I lagged behind, so I’ve got work to do, but we’ll see how things look tomorrow.”

O’Ward followed strict instructions

Patricio O’Ward expressed his satisfaction at having been able to adhere to the plan set out by McLaren, despite the session interruptions: “I think the first practice session was excellent. We followed a very intense running plan, especially given how chaotic and wild the session was.”

“I would have liked a bit more time with the hard tyres to prepare for the softs, but with what we managed, I’m pleased with the outcome for myself and all the data I was able to gather for the team.”

“They’re obviously in a pretty significant title fight, and I’m here to help them maintain their position. I saw the Mexican flags, I saw the floating faces of Pato in certain areas—it was really cool.”

The Mexican driver explained the strict instructions he received before the session: “‘Pato, don’t wreck the car! Pato, if you try to go too fast, I’ll shout at you,’ and ‘We need information, and that information is extremely important for the weekend’s progress.’”

“It was made very clear that I had to prioritise all the expectations around data collection and consistency, but it’s quite challenging. When you’re unfamiliar with this car, you don’t know the circuit very well, and you’re trying to learn on your own, but you also need to remain as consistent as possible for the team, for all the data they’re gathering. But I’m very happy with the result.”

“I think we gathered everything we needed during a rather chaotic session, and I believe they’re quite satisfied with the work I’ve done. I certainly am, and I’m eager to drive this car again. I hope to have the chance to drive it before the end of the year. That would be fantastic.”