2 weeks Ago
Oscar Piastri has finally received the news he’s been waiting for from Formula 1 team McLaren. For much of the 2024 season, the young Aussie has played second fiddle to teammate Lando Norris. The Brit has been in world championship contention over the back half of the year as the papaya outfit turned out more competitive cars than they’ve had for years.
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READ MORE TALKING POINTS: ‘Driving on ice’: Vegas code RB must crack; McLaren’s ‘shocking’ race prediction PRACTICE REPORT: Max fears as big Vegas curveball comes back to bite; legend’s shock redemption It culminated in 23-year-old Piastri, who claimed Sprint Race pole and was on track for victory in Brazil earlier this month, being asked to move aside so Norris could claim victory and an extra point. Following Max Verstappen’s impressive victory in the main race in Sao Paulo, however, the Red Bull ace has re-established a 62-point lead with just three races remaining. That means team orders are being set aside, Piastri has confirmed, outside of any “very specific scenarios”.
McLaren has an ideal chance to finally snap a 26-year wait for a constructors’ title, sitting 36 points ahead of Ferrari and 49 in front of Red Bull. Asked by media if he would now be treated equally with Norris, Piastri replied: “Pretty much, yes. “There’s still some very specific scenarios where I might be needed to help out, but for the very large majority of situations, it’s back to how it was.
“The drivers’ championship picture is very slim and the constructors’ championship is certainly not over for us. “It’s certainly not a done deal, so that’s definitely the biggest thing. “It’s a very specific few scenarios that maybe I’ll still help out, if that’s what I’m asked to do, but I’m going into the weekend trying to win.
” Asked if the situation would now be different if a moment like the Brazil Sprint Race repeated itself, Piastri replied: “Yes, definitely.” Despite being the clear support driver to Norris this season, Piastri has still picked up his first two Grand Prix victories, winning in Hungary in July and again in Azerbaijan two months later. While he is relishing the chance to race at full speed for the rest of this season, the Victorian said team orders had barely been a factor in 2024.
“To be honest, I wasn’t that disappointed with giving that (win) up,” he said of the Sprint Race. “Of course I would have loved to have won the sprint, but (it’s) a very different scenario to a Grand Prix. “I proved what I wanted to prove, in terms of qualifying on pole, and that was just to myself.
“Qualifying on pole for the sprint, even if I had won the sprint, qualifying on pole was probably the more satisfying thing for me. “I knew I did the right things in the sprint and that’s good for me. “I’m happy that we don’t have to go into those kind of things as much anymore and obviously next year, I want to make sure that I’m not in a position, championship-wise, to be subjected to that.
“But in reality, I probably needed to help out at that one time in Brazil and that’s been it. “So it’s been a lot of talk for not much on-track action.” Piastri and the McLaren team have another chance to bank valuable points at this weekend’s Las Vegas race, with lights out at 5pm on Sunday (AEDT).
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