Oscar Piastri appeared relaxed about his status as Formula 1 championship leader, with the McLaren driver saying he is “enjoying” the fight at the top of the standings.
The Australian is now 22 points ahead of team-mate Lando Norris at the top of the table, after the clash between the pair in Canada resulted in the Brit retiring from the race.
Piastri was unable to take victory, but fourth place saw him capitalise on being the only McLaren to finish the race to enhance his supremacy within the Woking-based squad.
It is only Piastri’s third season in F1, and the first time he has been in a World Championship battle, but seems content about the situation, where other drivers in his position may feel more pressure.
When asked if he feels this, particularly if he feels if it is his only chance to win the championship, Piastri told media including Motorsport Week that this was not that case, and seemed to be relishing the situation.
“I think, for me, I’m not looking at it as my one chance,” he said. “Obviously I don’t know that, but I don’t think there’s any use in putting extra pressure on yourself and thinking it’s do or die.
“I’m still very early in my career, and obviously it’s a great opportunity, but I’ll just try and win as many races as I can. And hopefully it makes the championship look quite good at the end.
“And I think for me, it’s something I’ve learned through my junior career, through the first few years of my F1 career, that you need time away from F1. Because otherwise it can get pretty draining pretty quickly, and that’s still exactly the same now.”
Piastri knows how to perform
Piastri added that he has already cracked the code as to the way he needs to prepare for a race and be in the best possible psychological space for it.
“Whilst it’s a slightly different situation for me in terms of fighting for a championship and stuff like that, I think I’ve learned the lessons already on how I perform my best and how I come to each weekend fresh,” he said.
“For me, I’m honestly enjoying the position we’re in. It’s quite fun trying to win races and fight for a championship. And certainly at the moment, the pressure is nothing that different.
“I’m just trying to go out there and do my best. It’s just that now, that looks like trying to fight for a win instead of fighting for a podium or fighting for points like it was a couple years ago.”
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