McLaren

Piastri reveals standout moment of maiden F1 season

Oscar Piastri's maiden Formula 1 season with McLaren was a remarkable journey filled with both challenges and success.

Despite facing a car that was initially not as competitive as its rivals, Piastri quickly adapted to the pinnacle of motorsport, showcasing his exceptional talent and racecraft.

Armed with McLaren’s upgraded MCL60, the young Australian came into his own, consistently demonstrated his ability to extract the maximum potential and performing on a par with his experienced teammate Lando Norris.

After scoring his first podium in Japan, Piastri's breakthrough came at the following race in Qatar where he secured his first Formula 1 victory in the Sprint event, a remarkable feat that highlighted his composure and driving prowess.

Stella says rapid learning key to 'exceptional' Piastri season

Asked in an interview with Aussie website Speedcafe what had been his standout moment of his rookie season, the 22-year-old predictably singled out his Qatar weekend.

“I think it has to be the Qatar weekend,” he said. “Taking sprint pole and the sprint win and then following it up the next day with another grand prix podium was fantastic.

“It was probably the hardest race that I’ve ever driven due to the conditions, but it rounded off a special few days.

“There have been quite a few highlights like taking second in the Spa sprint, narrowly missing out on a podium at Silverstone because of the safety car and my first GP podium at Japan, but Qatar just tops it.”

Looking back on his rookie campaign, Piastri felt that he had achieved pretty much everything he had set out to accomplish.

“I’d say that I am satisfied with how my rookie season has gone,” he said. “I’m happy with how I progressed throughout the year, I enjoyed it a lot.

“It’s been a huge learning curve and there are still plenty of things to work on looking ahead to next year but overall, I think I’ve laid some good foundations in 2023.

“Hopefully, we can pick up where we left off in 2024.”

Piastri’s performance this year marked him as a rising star in Formula 1, leaving fans eager to witness his continued growth and success in the years to come.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.