Following his third Formula 1 victory, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri expressed high hopes that his latest achievement at last Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix will bolster his confidence moving forward.
Even though Lewis Hamilton had a commanding performance during the sprint race on Saturday, the 56-lap grand prix culminated in a sensational one-two finish for McLaren. Oscar Piastri emerged as the victor, with teammate Lando Norris right behind him, marking the third career win for the young Australian driver.
For McLaren, this victory was a significant milestone—number 191 for the team, their third consecutive win and their fourth triumph at this particular event. Notably, it had been 14 years since Lewis Hamilton last secured a McLaren victory here in 2011. Piastri and Norris made history by delivering McLaren’s 50th one-two finish, mirroring their successful performance in Budapest the previous year.
Reflecting on his journey, Piastri candidly acknowledged the challenges he faced last year at Shanghai, yet showed remarkable improvement this season. He dismissed the notion that the new track surface was the reason for his enhanced performance, instead crediting his progress to the tireless efforts alongside his team.
“Looking back, I suppose saying I struggled a bit last year is an understatement,” Piastri shared. “This weekend was a complete turnaround from last year’s race in China. There was a lot to learn from my previous experience with the track. While the resurfacing did change things, the layout itself still poses lots of challenges.”
He continued, “For me, it’s been incredibly rewarding to have probably my most well-rounded F1 weekend at a track where I faced so many difficulties last year. I couldn’t have done it without the relentless dedication of my team.”
“There’s so much credit due to the engineers and everyone at McLaren,” he added. “Not only for giving us a significantly stronger car than we had twelve months ago but also for their relentless efforts to support and help me progress.”
“It’s truly satisfying to see what we’ve accomplished in a year, and while there are more hurdles to clear, this victory is a morale booster for sure,” Piastri concluded confidently.
