McLaren had a fantastic session, with both drivers ending on the first and the second row after a thrilling qualifying in Silverstone, the team’s home race. Their rookie, Oscar Piastri, impressed throughout the whole session; he received the upgrades that impressed the team and delivered a fourth position in Red Bull Ring for Lando Norris.
Photo credit: McLaren Racing
The MCL60 was “a rocket ship” in Q2 and Q3, according to Piastri, and Saturday’s performance was a “massive result” for the team, giving him his best-ever F1 qualifying finish. It’s the first time since the 2013 Canadian Grand Prix that a rookie has qualified in the top 3 without grid penalties included. Valtteri Bottas was the driver to achieve it that day.
After the session, he said: “What a qualifying session. We were almost out in Q1, and then yeah, car was a rocket ship in Q2 and Q3. Feels like I put a pretty good lap together.
“So yeah, massive result for the team as well. To be consistently have both of us up here is a mega result. Now we’ve just got to try and stay there for tomorrow.
“It’s a very special moment to be in the top 3. It’s been a great day and even ahead of this weekend we thought we could get in the top 10, at least.
“But when the conditions were looking like they were, it’s generally been really solid for us previously, I think we went in quietly confident that we could pull off something pretty special and we’ve managed to do it.”
Piastri acknowledged the team had “a bit of a rough day” on Friday and added how the conditions today played into their hands: “I think we were a bit quicker than what we looked, just struggling to get the car in the right window, and I think we did a better job of that today.
“I think these conditions as well. We do really well in them all the time. Barcelona was a similar story Monaco, Canada as well. So we’ve had a fair few moments like that.
“But yeah, to pull that off in Q3 like that was a mega result, and obviously, both of us have now got the new bits on our car, and they’re working very well.
“So yeah, I can’t thank the team enough for continuing to push from where we were at the start of the season to where we are now. It’s a massive step in the right direction.”
Photo credit: McLaren Racing
The incredible pace the car had was a surprise throughout the session, on this performance gain he added: “The car took a good step forward; I think with that in mind, we saw in Barcelona in similar conditions with the old spec car that we can also challenge at the front.
“I think we are, generally more consistent and further up the front now. The car doesn’t feel too much different; I think it’s still got some weaknesses that we want to address, but overall it’s just faster now, and if I have to choose between a car that feels great or a car that goes fast, I will choose the one that goes fast and work on the handling later.
“The team has done a really good job, bringing all the new bits this weekend and last weekend, so, excited for the future.”
On his expectations for tomorrow’s race and whether they can stay where they are, he said: “I think we’ll have to see what our race pace is like; Lando showed last week that we can hang on in the races now; hopefully, we can try and be the same tomorrow; of course, staying in the top 3 will be tricky with the quick cars behind us, so definitely, (try to) score points.”
“It’s a massive confidence boost; I think regardless of the end result, I did a good lap; there were a few mistakes in Q3, so it’s nice to have a solid lap on the board and to have P3 as well is even better, getting more and more confidence every time I get out, so more experience obviously.
“It’s just nice to be fighting for a much higher position.”
