Oscar Piastri anticipates a multi-team battle at Silverstone: “It won’t be just me and Lando”

Oscar Piastri expects a much more open battle than the one he had against his teammate Lando Norris at the last Austrian Grand Prix.

Although he had an intense duel with Lando Norris, which resulted in the Briton’s third victory of the season, the Australian maintains the lead in the championship with a 15-point advantage.

A new fratricidal duel?

When asked about the possibility of a new duel against Lando Norris, this time on his teammate’s home turf, Oscar Piastri responded with a smile: “We’ll see. I think it will be an interesting weekend – it always is at Silverstone. The weather often plays a role and, clearly, it will be the case again this year.”

He then broadened his perspective on the upcoming race. « I don’t think it will be just a battle between two McLarens this time. Mercedes will probably be fast, Red Bull too, you never really know what to expect with them, but they’ve often been good here. Ferrari also seemed a bit more competitive in Austria. So we’ll see. It’s a circuit I really enjoy, and I expect a good fight, no matter who it’s with. »

A statistic in favor of the Australian?

Since the beginning of the season, a certain trend is emerging: every time Lando Norris wins, Oscar Piastri wins the next race.

On this subject, the 24-year-old driver put things into perspective: “I noticed the same thing as you, but it’s not something conscious. I think it’s just a coincidence. I approach each weekend with the desire to do my best. Maybe in China, there was a bit more motivation due to the frustration from Melbourne, but otherwise, I always try to present myself in the best possible mindset. I continue to learn, about myself and about how I need to have the car.”

Finally, regarding the psychological aspect of beating Lando Norris in front of his home crowd, Oscar Piastri downplayed the issue: « I don’t think it’s that important. Every driver wants to win their home Grand Prix, but in the end, it earns the same points as any other race. Monaco is somewhat similar in that feeling. Would I like to win this weekend? Of course. But we’ll see what happens. It’s a circuit I love, where I’ve had success in the past, so I hope for a good weekend. »

Read also: Lando Norris defends Oscar Piastri against the British public