Source: Official Team Post via X
McLaren's Malaysia Surprise: Piastri on the Unexpected and the Team's Progress
McLaren faced unexpected challenges at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with Oscar Piastri noting they lag slightly behind front-runners. Despite initial struggles, improvements in the second session gave the team hope for qualifying.
McLaren encountered a few surprises at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, as Oscar Piastri reflected on the team's standing against their competition. The race weekend kicked off with mixed results for McLaren, with Piastri admitting the day was not as smooth as they had hoped.
After a shaky first practice session where Piastri and teammate Lando Norris found themselves in 11th and 12th places, the second session brought some relief. Norris climbed to third, and Piastri posted the sixth-fastest time, showing promise for the team.
Piastri shared his thoughts on the day's performance, acknowledging the difficulties faced during FP1. "We definitely looked better in FP2 than FP1," he said. "In FP1, we struggled quite a bit, but things seemed more positive in FP2."
The Australian driver also noted that the weather conditions played a role in their challenges. "Everyone was expecting rain, which didn't come, so the tyre choices were a bit unconventional. We seemed reasonable, but our long-run pace remains uncertain," Piastri commented.
Looking ahead to qualifying, Piastri observed that the competition was tight among the top four teams. "Red Bull looked very strong, and Mercedes and Ferrari had their moments too. We're maybe a tiny step behind, but we've made progress since FP1. Hopefully, we can keep that momentum going," he added.
McLaren's Senior Racing Director, Randy Singh, echoed Piastri's sentiments about the unexpected conditions. "The track offered less grip than anticipated and was rougher than we expected, catching us off guard," Singh explained. "We struggled to get the car in a good place in FP1, but significant improvements were made in FP2."
When asked about McLaren's chances of fighting for pole position, Singh remained cautious. "We're focused on maximizing our current package's potential. There's still a lot of work to be done, so it's hard to predict at this stage," he said.
While McLaren may have been caught off guard by some of the conditions in Malaysia, there's optimism in the camp as they head into the weekend's qualifying sessions. With improvements already visible, the team will be keen to see if they can close the gap to their rivals.