TECHNICAL WOES EXPOSED: MCLAREN CLARIFY OSCAR PIASTRI’S US GP PERFORMANCE DIP
Why was Oscar Piastri so slow in the US? McLaren chief Andrea Stella reveals the key reasons behind the Aussie's surprising lack of pace at the Circuit of the Americas.
At the United States Grand Prix this weekend, Oscar Piastri's unusually slow pace can be explained by "a few aspects", according to McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella.
During both qualifying sessions and free practice, Piastri was three tenths behind teammate Lando Norris, which was one of his worst one-lap speed drives of the season.
As the weekend progresses, Piastri has not made his typical progress, and Stella reinforced the championship leader's lament about a lack of faith in the car due to its volatility.
"In almost every session, Oscar has lagged behind Lando by a few tenths, but in practice, we are accustomed to seeing an Oscar that catches up and improves over the weekend," the Italian said. This is what has been lacking thus far, if anything.
However, the event has been a little messy because Oscar had to regain his confidence after missing the sprint [because of the first-lap collision], pushing the car when there was little grip, bumps, heat, and wind. To find out how much you can push, you must become in sync with your vehicle.
"Today the car needs to be driven near the limit of locking the four tyres," stated Oscar, echoing an intriguing statement made by Lando. For example, you will not create a lap time if you simply drive too gently because you cannot handle a wind gust, or you simply wish to drive sensibly. You have to sort of rely on the edge. Additionally, you must have a specific rhythm and confidence if you lean toward the edge.
Since it is so close, a few tenths may cost five spots on the grid. If anything, this is the element that Oscar's team is lacking. Therefore, I believe we see some rhythm for Oscar, but we also see the consequences of the field being so close at this point in the season.
Due to his difficulties, Piastri finished in a pitiful sixth place on the starting grid today, which is his second-lowest position this season after Baku, where he crashed in the third qualifying round.
The title race is more competitive than it has been in a long time because the Australian has only scored 27 points since the beginning of September, while championship rivals Norris and Verstappen have scored 39 and 76 points, respectively.
Piastri, however, denied that his teammate's performance was improving.
"This has been difficult for me; I do not think I have made any significant errors, or, from a driving perspective, it has just not clicked," he remarked. "I have not been driving too much; I just have not been very at ease in the vehicle. " I believe that this weekend has been like that, but I do not believe the last few have been like that.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
