“I’m not planning on finishing third”: Oscar Piastri sets clear goals for Austrian GP after “surprising” Ferrari pace
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri clarified his goal heading for the 2025 F1 Austrian Grand Prix after an eventful qualifying session saw him clinch P3. Although his pace promised a front-row start, there was an incident on his final run that hampered his lap.
Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have looked the strongest around the Red Bull Ring so far this weekend. The former was a favorite for pole position, which he grabbed rather effortlessly. His teammate, meanwhile, was poised to take P2.
However, Pierre Gasly spun on the final corner during the final minute of the Q3 session. This saw a double-waved yellow, which hampered many drivers, including Max Verstappen and Piastri.
The McLaren driver’s lap time could only earn him a P3 start, right behind Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. The latter fired up on Saturday after a series of disappointing sessions on Friday. However, their floor upgrades seemed to have worked at the time.
Looking back at the qualifying session, Piastri mentioned that it was disappointing not to be on the front row, considering the car’s pace.
“I had Gasly spin at the last corner, so I didn’t even open my second lap. And Lando’s been very quick all weekend, so it would have been a tough challenge, but I think we easily had enough pace in the car this weekend to be on the front row,” he said.
He further mentioned that he was “surprised” by the pace Ferrari delivered, further stating that he plans to finish better than P3.
“I think our pace this weekend has looked very strong. I think the Ferrari pace looked good as well, which was a bit of a surprise, but I think we still got some opportunities tomorrow. So, I’m not planning on finishing third, that’s for sure.”
Oscar Piastri is in a good position to win the 2025 F1 World Championship
Oscar Piastri has been a strong and consistent driver since his debut in the 2023 season. He has won multiple races for McLaren so far and is currently leading the Drivers’ Championship with five victories already. The team has been dominating this season with an extreme gap to their competitors.
Although Lando Norris has been with the team for a long time, he has been underperforming compared to Piastri. He has only won two races despite the pace the car had and has been rather inconsistent. While he is a contender for the title as well, Piastri looks to be in a much better spot, considering how both of them have performed till now.
At the same time, Norris delivered a very competitive performance during the qualifying session in Austria. If he manages to convert his pole position into a victory, he will be in a good spot in the championship battle.
