Oscar Piastri said he is keeping his focus narrow after taking a “fun” pole at Formula 1‘s Qatar Grand Prix as he strives to keep his championship challenge alive.
Piastri continued a flawless weekend with a vital pole position, heading a McLaren 1-2 after a tense and messy qualifying hour at the Lusail International Circuit.
The Australian built on his Sprint pole and victory to deliver again when it mattered, nailing a clean final lap while his team-mate faltered on his last attempt in Q3.
Asked how vital the pole was, Piastri told media including Motorsport Week: “It obviously helps. Yeah, I mean, the next target is to try and get a good start.
“And then, yeah, that should make life a bit easier if I can do a good job there. So, no, so far so good. But, yes, obviously a long way to go.
“A couple of pit stops for tomorrow as well. So there’s still a lot that can happen. But, no, everything’s gone well so far.”
His final lap felt special from the cockpit.
“Yeah, I mean, I said on the in-lap, I think driving an F1 car around this track in those conditions is probably the coolest thing ever.
“Having those three right-hand corners be not corners according to your right foot is pretty remarkable.
“And obviously the grip level is incredibly high and much higher than last night too. So, yeah, it’s a lot of fun.
“But, yeah, everything’s just felt good this week. And the car’s been in a nice window. I feel like I’ve been able to get comfortable with it pretty quickly. And the results have followed.”
Piastri’s earlier win in the Sprint format was the first time that he has prevailed since the Dutch Grand Prix in August.
When asked about the last time he had that kind of fun on track this season, Piastri added: “Well, I mean, winning is a lot more fun than whatever the hell happened the last four or five races, that’s for sure.
“I mean, I think you always try and enjoy it. And I think when you look at the bigger picture, even in the last few weeks that have been tough, you know, I’m still driving probably the fastest car or one of the fastest cars there’s ever been in the world and doing something I love and all of that.
“But, yeah, I think in terms of purely when I’m on track, yes, the last time was probably Zandvoort because things just haven’t clicked, haven’t gone well since then. So, yeah, I mean, I think this track as well just lends itself to, you know, the full potential of what an F1 car and especially one of this generation of cars can do.
“So, yeah, I mean, obviously if I wasn’t on pole, it probably wouldn’t be quite as much fun, but I think it still would have been a pretty cool experience either way.”
McLaren’s strength at Losail comes largely from its high-speed stability, and Piastri didn’t hide that advantage.
“It’s hard to pick a place where it’s bad, to be honest,” he asserted.
“I think the high-speed corners are the ones that feel the most impressive. [Turn 13] 13, 14, just getting flat out towards the end of qualifying, it’s always pretty impressive there.
“But the car’s been good on paper. It should suit us nicely. A lot of medium and high-speed corners. And the results have followed that.”
Despite the pressure of a championship battle and the difficulty of overtaking in Qatar, Piastri kept his focus on fundamentals.
When asked what would weigh most on his mind overnight, he stressed the race start.
“I mean, I think the start is probably the biggest thing I need to get right tomorrow. The thing we saw today with clean air, it’s a massive advantage around here.
“And with the stint lengths, I think it’s going to be a pretty fast-paced race. So that’s probably the biggest thing to get right. But, yeah, there’s still a lot that can happen.”
When asked whether the start would be one of the most important of his career, he stayed calm:
“Yes, it’s obviously important, but whether it’s more important or not, not really. There’s still 25 points on offer tomorrow.
“Obviously, there’s a championship picture, but it’s got the same importance as every other race.”
READ MORE – Oscar Piastri reveals late tyre scare en route to F1 Qatar GP Sprint victory
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