McLaren’s rising star, Oscar Piastri, has had an extraordinary 2024 F1 season, tallying 237 points and currently sitting fourth in the drivers’ championship standings. The 23-year-old has captured the paddock’s attention with his impressive racecraft, clinching his first-ever Grand Prix victory in Hungary, and consistently pushing his teammate, Lando Norris, to the limit.
As the season enters a three-week break, Piastri has taken time to reflect on his performance, candidly admitting that while he’s shown significant growth, there’s still room for improvement.
“It’s just a bit of everything [that I must improve],” Piastri explained. “I feel like I’m improving a lot as I go through my career, but I’m certainly not the finished product yet.”
Despite his stellar performances, the young Australian remains focused on refining his skills, especially as the season nears its conclusion. Qualifying has been one area where Piastri acknowledges he’s struggled, often coming second-best to his teammate Norris.
“There’s still going to be some tough races in the latter part of the year on tracks that I’ve only been to once,” Piastri said. “Just trying to work on some of the weaknesses I had at those tracks last year is going to be key to ending the season strong.”
With just six Grand Prix left in the season, McLaren is leading the Constructors’ Championship, thanks to the combined efforts of Norris and Piastri. However, tensions could rise in the McLaren camp, as Norris, who has emerged as a championship contender, may force the team to prioritize his title bid over Piastri’s.
Piastri’s hunger to improve, coupled with McLaren’s strong form, could lead to some fireworks between the two drivers as the season progresses. While McLaren may have to consider enforcing team orders in favor of Norris, the battle between Piastri and his teammate promises to be one of the key storylines in the final stretch of the 2024 F1 season.
