Oscar Piastri is not one to settle for second place, especially now that the drivers’ championship has evolved into a neck-and-neck race between the McLaren drivers. The Australian sensation of the season emphasizes the importance of a race-by-race approach, so he can continue to put his best foot forward.
McLaren is a street’s length away from second-place Ferrari in the constructors’ championship, and the drivers’ championship has also become a neck-and-neck race between the McLaren drivers. Max Verstappen remained in sight of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris for a long time, but with a tenth place in Spain, a dropout in Austria, and a ninth place in Hungary, the Dutchman now has to look more behind him at number four George Russell. “It’s clear that the drivers’ championship has become a two-horse race, so in a sense it’s a kind of one-on-one race, which is probably a change from what we’ve experienced before,” Oscar Piastri tells Motorsport.com.
The Australian has won six times this season, compared to five victories by teammate Norris. With only a nine-point lead over the Brit, he is far from being in a comfortable position, as he cannot afford to choose the safe route and avoid the duel. Settling for second places and not pursuing victories is, according to Piastri, ‘not a great way to race’. “I still have to try to put my best foot forward and score points,” he says.
Race by Race Approach
The road to the world title is still long. After the Grand Prix of Canada, where Norris broke the ‘Papaya rules’ and dropped out, Piastri extended his lead to 22 points. However, this did not turn out to be a turning point in the championship, as Norris strongly bounced back with three victories in the four races leading up to the summer break. After the summer break, there are still ten races to go, starting in Zandvoort. “The saying ‘take it race by race’ sounds boring and is in some ways a bit boring, but it is very true,” says Piastri.
“You don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen in Abu Dhabi, because that distracts you from what you need to do in the weekend, especially at the top of Formula 1,” he explains. “You have to be at the top of your game every time, and any distraction from that means you’re not. So as clichéd as it sounds, it really is about focusing completely on the race you’re in and trying to score the most points.”