Oscar Piastri dismisses George Russell’s bold claims about McLaren’s dominance, calling them exaggerated and far from the truth after Melbourne’s standout race.
Piastri has brushed off comments made by Mercedes driver George Russell regarding McLaren’s advantage in Formula 1, calling them “just speculation” rather than fact.
McLaren solidified its status as a title contender with Lando Norris’s victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Piastri, the local hero, was on course to secure a McLaren one-two before a late-race spin in wet conditions cost him the position.
Last weekend, Russell suggested that McLaren’s edge was so significant that the team could halt development on its 2025 car and shift focus to 2026. He doubled down on those claims today, even implying that McLaren had the potential to win every race in 2025—though he hinted that Norris and Piastri might not maximize the car’s full potential.
Piastri was quick to dismiss Russell’s remarks, calling one of his statements “pretty far-fetched.”
“I’ll let you decide for yourselves… But no, look, our car was clearly very competitive in Melbourne—there’s no denying that,” Piastri said. “I think we reached a point where everything was working really well. Of course, as drivers, we’re never completely satisfied, but it was clear that in all conditions, our car performed strongly in Melbourne.”
“That being said, it’s just one race. Melbourne is a unique track, and we also had rain affecting things.”
“George has been saying some pretty wild things over the past couple of weeks. We’ll see what happens, but for now, what he’s saying is just speculation—it’s far from the truth.”
“This was just one race. Melbourne has been a strong track for us in the past, even when our car wasn’t as competitive as Red Bull’s. So, I fully expect us to face tougher challenges at other circuits.”
“If George wants to call off his season after one weekend, that’s up to him. But we’re well aware that Melbourne was an exceptional weekend—it’s not something we expect to be the norm.”
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Piastri Slams Russell’s “Wild” McLaren Claims Piastri Slams Russell’s “Wild” McLaren Claims
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