Oscar Piastri might have missed out on a front-row start for Saturday’s Sprint race at Interlagos, but the young Australian was feeling much “happier” and more in sync with his McLaren car again after Friday's running.
While teammate Lando Norris stormed to pole position, Piastri’s upbeat tone after securing third confirmed that the papaya cars are the leading contenders for big points in Brazil.
After a run of frustrating weekends, Piastri revealed that something finally clicked with his MCL39 around the rollercoaster circuit of Interlagos.
“Yeah, a little bit,” he admitted when asked if early time loss in the first sector cost him. “The soft [tyre] just was a bit different to what I expected. A couple of big moments on my first lap, which wasn’t ideal.
“Yeah, that was a bit of a shame, but ultimately, I felt much happier today than the last couple of weeks when practice went very well.
“I think Sprint Quali changed a few things, which took a little bit of getting used to again.
“But yeah, ultimately pretty happy. Could have liked a little bit more, but we can definitely fight and there’s obviously a lot more points on Sunday.”
The calm confidence in Piastri’s voice was unmistakable – a driver relieved to finally find his rhythm after a tricky spell that saw him complete four consecutive races without a podium.
Eyes on the Prize Amid Unpredictable Weather
With the Sprint race and the Grand Prix looming, Piastri is bracing for a weekend full of possibilities, especially with Brazil’s notoriously fickle weather in play.
“It’s going to be an interesting day,” he previewed. “Let’s see what weather we get, but yeah, I’ll try and take whatever opportunities there are.”
“I think the pace in the car has been really good today, so hopefully that translates to whatever we get.”
Losing the lead in the championship standings to his McLaren teammate Lando Norris after the Mexico City Grand Prix has only fueled Piastri’s determination.
With McLaren’s car showing promising speed and his own comfort level on the rise, the 24-year-old is poised to give his rival – including Norris – a run for their money.
Whether it’s navigating the tight twists of Interlagos or battling unpredictable conditions, Piastri’s renewed happiness behind the wheel could be the spark McLaren needs to light up the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
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