Oscar Piastri casts doubt on McLaren’s podium prospects despite Lando Norris’ success

Oscar Piastri is the top-placed rookie in the drivers’ standings, sitting in P11 with 34 points.

Oscar Piastri (Image credit: ABC)

Excluding a poorly-timed safety car at Silverstone, Oscar Piastri was poised for an early F1 podium in his 10th race. The upcoming half of the year seems favorable for this goal. With a prior top-three placement in the Spa sprint race, he’s proven his prowess among the frontrunners, hinting at his ability to vie at the pinnacle of the sport.

However, in a shocking admission, Oscar Piastri believed McLaren was far-off for a podium finish. His teammate Lando Norris has already secured two podiums this season. Piastri mentioned that they had initially considered achieving that under the right conditions before the season began, with a few cars potentially not completing the race.

As the season progressed, contending for the top three seemed remote. Consistently performing well in the past three weekends was remarkable to him. The experience was incredible, fueled by confidence in his abilities and the car’s potential for a top-three finish, serving as a positive motivation source.

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“Before the season maybe we thought that that could be possible in the right circumstances, with maybe a few cars not finishing. Once we got the season underway, it was a pretty distant dream that we’d be able to compete for the top three. To now be here consistently for the last three weekends is pretty remarkable,” Piastri stated, according to Autosport.

Also read: McLaren’s Andrea Stella lauds Formula 1 aerodynamic testing restrictions for levelling the playing field

Oscar Piastri values Lando Norris as a strong benchmark

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (Image credit: ABC)

Anticipating Piastri’s trajectory, a natural consideration revolves around accruing more points. Discounting a setback due to Carlos Sainz‘s incident in Belgium, Piastri has consistently secured points post McLaren’s Silverstone upgrades. Impressively, in the last three races, only four drivers have outperformed him in terms of points earned.

Oscar Piastri acknowledged that certain mistakes or situations could have been handled better, albeit easier to judge in hindsight. He expressed contentment with his current driving level, highlighting ongoing opportunities for improvement and learning. He appreciated the presence of a strong teammate, Lando Norris as a benchmark.

"His talent was very clear right from the start… he is able to absorb things, execute things, always staying very calm"

McLaren Team Principal, Andrea Stella praises Aussie rookie, Oscar Piastri's impressive start to his F1 career. #F1 @McLarenF1 https://t.co/RJAlYIVi7b
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 14, 2023

“There’s definitely been some mistakes or moments I wish I could have had again, but with hindsight, it’s very easy to say those kinds of things. I’m happy with where I’m at driving-wise, there’s still a lot to improve. I’ve got a very strong team-mate to learn from who just by being a benchmark is a big help,” Piastri further continued.