Oscar Piastri has explained how he’s no longer having to “chase the time” with McLaren’s Formula 1 car since the team has cured its slow-speed cornering weakness.
McLaren completed an unprecedented turnaround last term as it went from struggling to even score points to landing regular podiums in Piastri’s maiden F1 season.
However, McLaren’s revised MCL60 was better suited to high-speed tracks such as Suzuka, with Lando Norris admitting he had to drive on the limit to extract results.
But McLaren has proven to be competitive across all circuits since adding updates in Miami which the team has conceded over-delivered on low-speed improvement.
As a result, the Woking-based squad has emerged as Red Bull’s most consistent challenger since Norris won in the States to pick up six consecutive podium finishes.
Piastri, who came second in Monaco and Austria, has detailed how the MCL38 is now both an easier car to handle and boasts a better balance to preserve the rubber.
Asked whether McLaren’s car was now more compliant, Piastri said: “It’s a little bit easier just because there’s, more grip there and you’re not trying to chase the time.
“It’s kind of just coming to you. I guess that’s what makes it a little bit easier. It also just changes a bit the way you need to drive the car.
“Having a lot of performance in the high speed is great, but in terms of managing tyres, going flat out through a whole bunch of corners is not the best way to look after them.
“So, it opens up a few more options for us and gives us a few more strengths to play with, which is handy to have and definitely a bit nicer of a car to drive.”
Piastri capitalised on his team-mate and Max Verstappen’s fight in the Sprint to split the pair and their tangle in the main event to recover from seventh up to second.
But while he trails 44 points behind Norris in the Drivers’ standings, the Australian has stressed that the margins between the McLaren duo has never been excessive.
“Apart from Barcelona, we’ve been incredibly close,” Piastri assessed when asked about the intra-team McLaren battle with Norris, who is now in his sixth F1 season.
“Monaco was obviously a strong weekend on my side and I think the last five or six races, we were separated by like half a tenth in qualifying.
“So I think we’ve always been incredibly tight. Yeah, he’s obviously a very strong teammate to be up against and he’s shown that through his whole career.
“And I think now it’s certainly obvious for everybody in a race-winning car now.
“So yeah, of course, as a driver, you always want to beat everybody, not just your teammate, but it’s always the first reference.”
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