Oscar Piastri may have missed out on victory in Suzuka due to an unfavorable safety car – but McLaren clearly shows that it is competitive again
At the Japanese Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri not only achieved a strong second place – but may also have lost out on a possible victory. The McLaren driver led the race for a while and controlled the action before an unfortunately timed safety car reshuffled the cards and ultimately put Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the better position.
The fact that Piastri “only” finished second in the end therefore almost feels like a missed opportunity – even if the result is also a big step forward for McLaren. Because just a few weeks ago, such an outcome would have been almost unimaginable.
Piastri: “I could have kept George behind me”
From the Australian’s point of view, one question remains unanswered: What would have been possible without the safety car? “It would have been really interesting to see what would have happened,” explained Piastri after the race.
At that point, he had the race under control. “I think I could have kept George Russell behind me,” he says. In fact, Piastri was even able to pull away slightly before the pit stops – a clear indication that McLaren was able to seriously keep up with Mercedes for the first time this weekend.
“It’s a shame that we’ll never find out,” said Piastri. At the same time, his assessment shows how much the balance of power had shifted, at least at times.
Antonelli in luck: safety car as a turning point
The decisive moment came with the safety car after Oliver Bearman’s accident. While Piastri had already stopped, Antonelli was able to use the neutralization for a favorable tire change – and thus effectively took control of the race.
A classic example of strategic bad luck, which often makes the difference between victory and defeat in modern Formula 1. “I would have liked to have seen how it would have ended,” says Piastri, who at the same time remains realistic. Because one thing is also clear: as soon as Antonelli had a clear run, the Mercedes driver showed impressive pace. “When he had free air, he was significantly faster,” admits Piastri.
McLaren impressed – despite missing out on victory
No matter the outcome, however, satisfaction prevails at McLaren. Team Principal Andrea Stella emphasizes that at least in the duel with Russell they saw themselves as equals. “Oscar had the advantage of being in front – and it looked like he could keep George behind him,” explained Stella.
Whether that would have been enough against Antonelli remains to be seen. “It’s difficult to say,” said the Italian. In any case, another point is more important: “The progress from qualifying was confirmed in the race.” For McLaren, this is the decisive finding – regardless of hypothetical scenarios.
Zak Brown also speaks openly of a possible sensation. “Maybe victory was in the cards,” says the McLaren CEO. Given the expectations before the weekend, that was remarkable.
He was particularly impressed by Piastri’s performance. “That was one of the best races I’ve seen from him,” said Brown. At the same time, he emphasized that the team was on the road without any major updates – a sign that the progress was primarily the result of a better understanding of the package.
The fact that they were able to beat Ferrari and at least put Mercedes under pressure is seen by Brown as a clear success – even if the team still has work to do.
“One of my best weekends”
Piastri himself also drew a positive conclusion. “That was probably one of my best weekends in Formula 1,” he explains. He felt comfortable from the very first practice session and got the maximum out of the package.
He is particularly satisfied with the overall performance: “We did everything right – start, strategy, pace.” He also sees progress in dealing with the new requirements of the power unit and the use of energy. “I think we used every opportunity we had,” said Piastri.
Despite all the positive aspects, McLaren remains realistic. “We still have to find performance,” emphasizes Piastri. But at the same time, he makes it clear: “If we get everything perfect, we can cause problems for other teams.” And that is exactly what happened in Suzuka – at least in phases.