McLaren does not see Piastri as a rookie

It is difficult to judge the level of Oscar Piastri, given how short his first race in F1 was. The Australian had to retire after 13 laps due to an electrical issue. But for Andrea Stella, the important thing was elsewhere, and the Italian technician was delighted with his young driver’s performance throughout the weekend, as reported by Racefans.

During the free practice sessions in Bahrain, the Australian driver placed between 9th and 15th, which is very good for a rookie. But in qualifying, Piastri could only manage the 18th fastest time. According to Andrea Stella, his speed on the track is very promising: “We are very satisfied with what we saw in qualifying because, apart from the big oversteer at the second corner, he was in the mix with Lando, which is really encouraging in terms of pure speed,” says the Italian. In the race, the Australian driver made a strong impression, gaining two positions at the first corner and climbing up to 11th place. However, his race was quickly cut short after 10 laps, as Piastri fell victim to an electrical issue.

A driver who is already impressing in the garage

If his first Formula 1 race was short-lived, it was very instructive for McLaren, who noticed the progression of their driver: Oscar continues to improve, states Stella. The first stint he did in the race is by far the best long stint he has done so far, he specifies. He also highlights Piastri’s methodical and progressive approach. McLaren’s technical director, James Key, has been impressed by his maturity: I think the maturity he has beyond his age might be exaggerated, but it certainly is with Oscar, declares the Briton. He notices the driver’s technical knowledge, which he doesn’t consider as a rookie: Oscar’s technical knowledge is excellent, his feel for the car is incredibly precise. You wouldn’t say it’s a beginner driver talking about the car because his feeling is extremely accurate, underlines James Key.