Oscar Piastri needed just a bit more speed to challenge Lando Norris at the Japanese GP.
- Norris and Piastri trailed Max Verstappen, unable to overtake at the start.
- Piastri felt he had the speed to pass, urging McLaren for support.
- Team orders from McLaren were absent, leaving Piastri six-tenths behind Norris.
- Piastri acknowledged the difficulty of overtaking under the conditions.
Oscar Piastri found himself in a challenging spot during the Japanese Grand Prix, as he trailed his teammate Lando Norris and race leader Max Verstappen. With the need for a slight edge in speed, Piastri noted that an additional 100 meters on the straights could have made all the difference in mounting a serious attack on Norris.
As the race progressed, Norris and Piastri remained in second and third positions respectively, consistently trailing Verstappen. Despite their efforts, neither could improve their positions off the starting line, and the tight track conditions at Suzuka made overtaking a mountainous task.
Piastri, confident in his pace, asked McLaren for some assistance in the latter stages as he closed in on Norris. He communicated with the team over the radio to consider strategies that could potentially give him a chance against Verstappen.
However, McLaren opted to let the drivers race without intervening, even as Piastri closed the gap to just 0.6 seconds behind Norris. Ultimately, he crossed the finish line seven-tenths behind his teammate, unable to clinch a pass.
In his reflections following the race, Piastri minimized the radio communication fuss, expressing satisfaction with the team’s response. He acknowledged the challenges posed by track position and expressed his desire to compete fairly, emphasizing the sporting spirit.
The 100-meter gap Piastri mentioned might have been a game-changer, but the difficulty of breaking through the ‘dirty air’ and maintaining close quarters presented notable hurdles. Despite his strong pace, overtaking Norris or challenging Verstappen realistically was not on the cards this time.
In the end, Piastri accepted the race dynamics, acknowledging the team’s rationale as he looked ahead to future opportunities.
