Oscar Piastri is clear on what McLaren ‘still’ need to fight Red Bull over the Formula 1 constructors’ championship after sharing his honest verdict on their 2024 title hopes.
The Woking team currently sit third in the standings after the first nine rounds after enjoying a strong start. But McLaren trail Red Bull by 89 points plus Ferrari by 40 following last week’s Canadian GP. The papaya squad sealed P2 with Lando Norris and P5 with Piastri in Montreal.
His rostrum finish marked Norris’ fifth podium through nine Grand Prix in 2024, including his victory at the Miami GP. Piastri achieved his first and so far only podium of the season at the Monaco GP with P2. Red Bull have enjoyed 11 podium finishes and Ferrari have scored nine.
Oscar Piastri admits McLaren ‘still’ need to improve to rival Red Bull
But Red Bull have relied heavily on Max Verstappen to pen the bulk of their points, with 194 to the 107 that Sergio Perez has scored. Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc (138) and Carlos Sainz (108) enjoy similar records given the latter missed the Saudi Arabian GP due to appendicitis.
Norris has mainly led the charge at McLaren with 131 points to Piastri’s 81 but no team took more points during the Canadian GP than the papaya squad. McLaren outscored Red Bull by just three points but Ferrari by 28 owing to the Scuderia suffering a double DNF in Montreal.
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McLaren having at least one of their cars on the podium over each of the last five Grand Prix further convinces Piastri that they are in the fight for the constructors’ title. But the 23-year-old admits the Woking natives ‘still’ need to improve in some aspects to be a genuine threat.
“It’d be tough, definitely, but I think we’re in the fight,” Piastri said, via quotes by Speedcafe. “I think we scored the most points this weekend as a team. Not by much but it’s definitely a really good result for us.
“We’ve both been very consistent in the last few weekends and I think across some very different circuits, we’ve been strong at all of them.
“Still some things [for McLaren] to tidy up, and we’re talking about little things. But when you’re fighting for championships, little things go a long way.”
McLaren need a ‘big second half of the year’ to win the constructors’ title
Piastri further feels McLaren need a ‘big’ second half of the season given Red Bull enjoyed a jump start on their rivals. But the Australian is confident that his papaya squad can fight the reigning constructors’ champions plus Ferrari through the remainder of the 2024 campaign.
“It’s going to be very tough and, obviously, Red Bull have got a bit of a head start,” Piastri continued. “I don’t know how far behind Ferrari we are now. I definitely think we’re in the mix. But it’ll be a big second half of the year to make it happen.”
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Red Bull ran up their points tally across the first five rounds with Perez joining Verstappen on every podium. But the 34-year-old has not made a rostrum since his P3 at the Chinese GP, where Norris scored his and McLaren’s first of the year. Red Bull left Shanghai on 195 points.
Ferrari sat second in the standings after the Chinese GP with 151 points to McLaren’s 96, as well. But McLaren have scored 116 points across the Miami GP, the Emilia Romagna GP, the Monaco GP and the Canadian GP to the 106 that Red Bull have claimed and 101 for Ferrari.
The post ‘Go a long way’: Oscar Piastri clear on what McLaren ‘still’ need to fight Red Bull for F1 title appeared first on F1 Oversteer.