Piastri's F1 podium debut exposed a rookie weakness
- 7 months ago
#f1podium #pressconference #f1abu #dhabi2016
Oscar Piastri is not the flashiest of Formula 1 drivers. But this reaction is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it is an extremely encouraging trait for a driver who has already made a huge impact in F1. Mark Hughes Piastri's genius continues to surprise McLaren The 22-year-old's performance was a success, as he dominated the front row and took third place in his first visit to Suzuka. However, Piastri was unhappy with his race performance and did not hesitate to admit it. This highlights a significant weakness that he is working on, but this should not be taken as a criticism of his qualities. In fact, this underlines exactly why he is such an exciting candidate. Some drivers were only focusing on result, considering his qualifying performance and the fact that he enjoyed his first podium finish thanks to a McLaren team order that left him behind teammate Lando Norris, partly by making a pit stop under virtual safety car. as proof of his own brilliance. Instead, he focused on the elements of his performance that weren't as strong as they could have been. It's a trait that marks out riders who are destined for greater things, constant improvers who leave no stone unturned to improve their skills. “I wasn't fast enough at certain points in the race,” Piastri said. “These high-level races are probably the biggest thing I have to try and work on right now. “It's still pretty fresh to me. Not all junior races before this had races like this, so the only way to learn from this is to just do the races. “So if I were to do this race again, I would do it a little differently, there are definitely a few things.” "But it's all part of learning. It's exciting to know we can finish on the podium, even if I think there's more to come." Piastri finished 17.1 seconds behind Norris, but without the virtual safety car and slight strategic difference the gap would likely have been greater. This is what led to the most obvious display of the speed difference. Piastri was five seconds behind Norris and in third place when he pitted at the end of lap 13 of 53. While in the pit area, VSC came into play, reducing time loss. Norris has also gradually lost time behind Sergio Perez in the VSC, losing nearly four seconds when measured against leader Max Verstappen. This meant Norris was seven seconds behind Piastri when he exited the pits four laps later, with a lead of 12 seconds over Piastri. Norris quickly caught up with Piastri and after a brief exchange of words on the radio, McLaren ordered a change of position. It was a smart move for Norris to walk away. But given the high levels of wear experienced at Suzuka, even a four-lap tire age difference eroded the gap. "If you pit, let's say, one lap after someone else, you win a tenth," said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella of this stage of the race. "Lando pitted four laps later and his car was automatically four tenths faster than the other car. So pitting l
Oscar Piastri is not the flashiest of Formula 1 drivers. But this reaction is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it is an extremely encouraging trait for a driver who has already made a huge impact in F1. Mark Hughes Piastri's genius continues to surprise McLaren The 22-year-old's performance was a success, as he dominated the front row and took third place in his first visit to Suzuka. However, Piastri was unhappy with his race performance and did not hesitate to admit it. This highlights a significant weakness that he is working on, but this should not be taken as a criticism of his qualities. In fact, this underlines exactly why he is such an exciting candidate. Some drivers were only focusing on result, considering his qualifying performance and the fact that he enjoyed his first podium finish thanks to a McLaren team order that left him behind teammate Lando Norris, partly by making a pit stop under virtual safety car. as proof of his own brilliance. Instead, he focused on the elements of his performance that weren't as strong as they could have been. It's a trait that marks out riders who are destined for greater things, constant improvers who leave no stone unturned to improve their skills. “I wasn't fast enough at certain points in the race,” Piastri said. “These high-level races are probably the biggest thing I have to try and work on right now. “It's still pretty fresh to me. Not all junior races before this had races like this, so the only way to learn from this is to just do the races. “So if I were to do this race again, I would do it a little differently, there are definitely a few things.” "But it's all part of learning. It's exciting to know we can finish on the podium, even if I think there's more to come." Piastri finished 17.1 seconds behind Norris, but without the virtual safety car and slight strategic difference the gap would likely have been greater. This is what led to the most obvious display of the speed difference. Piastri was five seconds behind Norris and in third place when he pitted at the end of lap 13 of 53. While in the pit area, VSC came into play, reducing time loss. Norris has also gradually lost time behind Sergio Perez in the VSC, losing nearly four seconds when measured against leader Max Verstappen. This meant Norris was seven seconds behind Piastri when he exited the pits four laps later, with a lead of 12 seconds over Piastri. Norris quickly caught up with Piastri and after a brief exchange of words on the radio, McLaren ordered a change of position. It was a smart move for Norris to walk away. But given the high levels of wear experienced at Suzuka, even a four-lap tire age difference eroded the gap. "If you pit, let's say, one lap after someone else, you win a tenth," said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella of this stage of the race. "Lando pitted four laps later and his car was automatically four tenths faster than the other car. So pitting l