Oscar Piastri admits that having only a day and a half to familiarize himself with McLaren’s F1 car, the MCL60, poses a challenge ahead of his first F1 season. Piastri will join McLaren in 2023 and race alongside Lando Norris in his fifth season with the team.
In recent years, Formula 1 has reduced testing times, posing a greater challenge for rookie drivers. Piastri is no stranger to F1 cars, having made several private races for Alpine last year before signing with McLaren. However, preparations for McLaren’s F1 car for 2023 have been far from ideal. He completed 170 laps in pre-season testing, the third-lowest number after Ranzo Norris (142) and Felipe Dolgovic (117). “It’s definitely challenging, but it would be great if we could test more,” said Oscar Piastri. “Me and Logan[Sargent]are in the same position. Nick[De Vries]is a rookie and he’s already raced.” I think the most important thing is to make the most of the time you have.” Piastri came to F1 after winning F3 and F2 championships as a rookie. He was embroiled in contract disputes with Alpine and McLaren last year, but he insists it doesn’t put any extra pressure on his shoulders. “I think his junior record was his ticket to F1,” added Piastri. “For me it’s only a good thing that I can look back with confidence,” he added. “There’s an element of expectation, but that’s to be expected with every rookie,” he said. I don’t think it will affect me much.”