After an impressive debut in 2023, Oscar Piastri entered his sophomore year in Formula 1 with the goal of building on his initial success. Reflecting on the 2024 F1 season, the McLaren driver emphasized the strides he’s made, particularly in tyre management—a critical aspect he aimed to improve after his rookie season.
“From that specific aspect, I’ve made a lot of progress,” Piastri explained. He noted, “There’s still been a couple of races where it’s been not as good as I would have liked, you know, China, for example, but I had damage for the second half of the race.”
Piastri’s growth comes after a debut season where he often struggled in the latter stages of races. “I think Bahrain in particular, being the first of the year, on a track that’s notorious for eating tyres, I felt like I had a really good race.” He highlighted Bahrain as a key race that showcased his improvements.
On the topic of his overall progress, Piastri admitted, “A lot of the places where I wanted to improve from last season I have. That’s been a really good step forward.”
Photo credit: McLaren F1 Team
He remains focused on continuous development, acknowledging, “I think there’s always still things to improve but I think I’m certainly on the way there.”
Discussing his qualifying performances, the Australian said, “My qualifying, I have been reasonably happy. The gap between Lando and I has always been incredibly small, so I think that’s always a good reference.”
As he continues to refine his skills, Piastri’s consistency and speed are earning him a solid reputation. His recent victory in Hungary marked a significant milestone, making him the fifth Australian to win an F1 race. Despite the challenges, he remains close in the championship standings, trailing Lando Norris by just 32 points.
