Piastri's stellar climb in Mexico GP
Monday, 28 October 2024
The Australian rookie's performance was a testament to his growing confidence.
Oscar Piastri showcased his racing prowess at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Sunday, fighting his way from 17th on the grid to secure a points finish in the Mexico City Grand Prix.
The Australian rookie's performance was a testament to his growing confidence and skill in Formula 1®, as he navigated through the field with a series of impressive overtakes. Starting from the back of the pack, Piastri faced an uphill battle but remained composed throughout the race.
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As the lights went out, Piastri avoided the opening lap chaos that brought out the Safety Car. From there, he methodically picked off his rivals, passing Zhou and Bottas in quick succession to move up to P15. His forward momentum continued as he overtook Colapinto and Stroll, demonstrating his racecraft and tyre management skills.
Piastri's pit strategy proved crucial, as he swapped to Hard tyres and emerged in P13. Undeterred, he swiftly dispatched Ocon and Gasly to return to the points-paying positions. A well-executed move on Hulkenberg at Turn 1 saw Piastri climb to P8, where he would ultimately finish the race.
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Reflecting on his performance, Piastri said, "A difficult afternoon, but I think it was all we could have done. We made up a good chunk of places and the car was in a good spot, I just struggled through the traffic. It was a shame to not get Kevin Magnussen at the end, but we got ourselves back in the points and that's the main thing."
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella praised Piastri's efforts, stating, "He drove a beautiful race today. It wasn’t easy to get through the field, but he was patient when he needed to be and brought home some useful points. Those could be critical at the end of the season, because this championship is going to the wire."
Stella also revealed that Piastri would receive the team's upgrade package for the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix, which had contributed to teammate Lando Norris's strong second-place finish in Mexico.
As the Formula 1® circus heads to São Paulo, Piastri will look to build on this performance and continue his impressive rookie season. With the upgraded McLaren at his disposal, fans can expect another exciting showing from the young Australian.
Oscar’s Grand Prix by the numbers
- Qualified: 17th
- Race: 8th
- Fastest lap: 1m20.064s on Lap 65 (+1.728s, 5th)
- Points this event: 4
- Points this season: 251 (4th)
