Piastri secured his second top-three finish of the season in Austria.
Oscar Piastri has explained that he no longer has to push as hard to keep up with McLaren’s Formula 1 car due to the team resolving its weakness in slow-speed corners.
McLaren made a remarkable turnaround last year, going from struggling to score points to regularly finishing on the podium in Piastri’s debut F1 season.
However, the revised MCL60 car was more suited to high-speed tracks like Suzuka, with Lando Norris admitting that he had to drive on the edge to achieve results.
But McLaren has shown competitiveness on all circuits since introducing updates in Miami, which have exceeded expectations in terms of improving performance in low-speed corners.
As a result, the team based in Woking has emerged as Red Bull’s most consistent rival, with Norris winning in the United States and securing six consecutive podium finishes.
Piastri, who finished second in Monaco and Austria, has explained that the MCL38 is now easier to handle and has a better balance, allowing for better tire preservation.
When asked if McLaren’s car is now more compliant, Piastri replied, “It’s a bit easier because there’s more grip and you’re not constantly trying to catch up with the clock.
“It just comes to you. I suppose that’s what makes it a bit easier. It also changes the way you need to drive the car a bit.
“Having a lot of performance in high-speed corners is great, but it’s not the best way to take care of the tires when you’re going flat out through a series of corners.
“So, it gives us more options and strengths to work with, which is useful to have and definitely makes the car more enjoyable to drive.”
Piastri took advantage of his teammate’s and Max Verstappen’s battle in the Sprint to overtake them in the main event and climb from seventh to second place.
Although he is currently 44 points behind Norris in the Drivers’ standings, Piastri emphasized that the gap between the McLaren duo has never been significant.
“Except for Barcelona, we have always been extremely close,” Piastri evaluated when asked about the internal battle at McLaren with Norris, who is now in his sixth F1 season.
“Monaco was obviously a strong weekend for me, and in the last five or six races, we were separated by only half a tenth in qualifying.
“So, we have always been very evenly matched. He is undoubtedly a strong teammate to compete against, and he has proven that throughout his entire career.
“And now, it is clear to everyone that he is in a race-winning car.
“So, of course, as a driver, you always want to beat everyone, not just your teammate, but your teammate is always the first benchmark.”
