McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has opened up on how his laid-back approach in Formula 1 helps him to block out the “negative impact” his emotions can have on his career.
The Australian took the World Championship lead in Jeddah with his third victory of the season, and first back-to-back wins, at the expense of his team-mate Lando Norris.
Piastri bested Max Verstappen under the floodlights of the Jeddah Circuit, where his temperament was tested after a Turn 1 incident with the Red Bull driver.
He kept his composure to take advantage of the Dutchman’s time penalty and record a fifth win of his career, level with Norris.
However, in Saudi Arabia, Piastri revealed that he may not always be the cool character that the media and fans perceive him to be.
“I have been [emotional] a couple of times through my career – when they are negative emotions, yes it does have a negative impact,” Piastri told media including Motorsport Week.
“I think it comes somewhat naturally being calm and trying to stay relaxed, but there’s a lot of conscious effort on that as well.”
There won’t have been a lot of negative emotions after he crossed the line last weekend as the race winner, following up on his victories in China and Bahrain.
Piastri is on the hunt for his maiden championship in just his third season in the sport, and Piastri admitted that he was pretty jubilant after his win in Shanghai.
“There’s also positive emotions that are there as well, you know,” he said.
“I said after China, if you had a camera on me that you could see my face, I was pretty damn excited.”
More emotion from Piastri ‘under the helmet’
Managed by the former Red Bull driver Mark Webber, Piastri emulated his mentor by becoming the first Australian to lead the F1 Drivers’ standings in 15 years.
Webber held the championship lead back in 2010, the season Sebastian Vettel claimed the first of his four F1 titles.
If Piastri were to go one step further than his manager, he would become the first Aussie World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980.
Yet, as the 24-year-old continues to make progress towards that milestone, he remains cool, calm and collected no matter the situation on the race track.
Piastri was so dialled in whilst leading the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he even had time to point out a distracting red light at Turn 10 over the team radio.
It’s this approach that he sticks by as he explained his stance on communication to the pitwall.
“The radio is a button for a reason, and you use it when you think you should,” he said.
“There’s probably more that you don’t see under the helmet.
“But, for me, that’s just how I approach it.”
Whilst he may be keeping a lid on his emotions as of now, Piastri may change his tune after 24 rounds if he continues his fine form.
READ MORE – Oscar Piastri reveals mindset after taking F1 championship lead
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