Piastri put in an intensive first run with McLaren in Barcelona

The arrival of Oscar Piastri at McLaren in 2023 was announced relatively early in the season. However, he was still under contract with Alpine and his debut behind the wheel of the McLaren was compromised. The French team did not retain their protege, and he was able to make his first laps with the Woking team at the end of this season.

Intensive driving in Barcelona

After a first collective test drive in Abu Dhabi for post-season testing where he was able to drive the 2022 McLaren, Oscar Piastri was able to continue his intensive preparation for his arrival in Formula 1 in 2023 during an intensive testing session aboard the MCL35M in Barcelona. The Australian driver completed 150 laps behind the wheel of the 2021 McLaren.

"It was good to get back into the swing of things with specific racing stuff. We covered a lot of ground, and I feel like I'm making good progress. We revisited some old subjects that I haven't had the chance to explore in a while, and I learned quite a bit about various driving techniques," declared the Australian driver.

This session also allowed him to improve his driving skills on a single-seater. He hasn't had many outings this season apart from a few tests done for Alpine. This was an opportunity for him to experience some specific track conditions in a Formula 1 car. The significant efforts required to keep his head in the corners have made a mark on the Australian driver. He will continue to work in order to be physically prepared for his debut in the pinnacle of motorsport.

« We even had some wet races as well, so I adapted to all that and tried to absorb as much as possible and get back into the groove. »

My neck is quite sore, but it always takes some time to get used to a Formula 1. I'm getting there, I'm holding on, and I should be ready to go with a bit more training during Christmas.