Oscar Piastri has cut a settled figure in Formula 1 since stepping up 13 months ago. Not once has he appeared fazed or ruffled by the rough and tumble of our sport’s circus, and that’s allowed the Australian to improve at his own pace.  

The 23-year-old heaps plenty of pressure on himself to improve and deliver consistent results but is able to shut out the external noise, resulting in his often-praised calm and cool demeanour.  

After using his rookie season as a learning year – an extremely successful one that included two podiums and even a Sprint victory – Oscar set himself more “specific targets and goals” for his sophomore campaign based on his experiences in 2023 and his increased confidence and comfort in the paddock, the team and the cockpit.  

“Compared to the start of last year, it does feel different,” Oscar says, discussing his start to 2024 during a day at the McLaren Technology Centre. “Obviously, I know the team much better, and I know the world of F1 much better, so it is different from that side of things. The desire to be successful is still the same, but with that added experience of a first season in Formula 1.” 

Five races in, that work is well underway, and he’s seeing it bear fruit. Oscar has yet to finish outside of the top 10, a run that’s ensured McLaren are the only team to have both drivers in the points in every Grand Prix so far this season. He’s also one of just seven drivers to make Q3 in every round so far this season.

“Some of the things we worked on in the off-season are definitely paying off, but there is still some work to do in some areas. It’s been a decent start to the season with improvements to come,” Oscar continued. “We’ve made a good step forward with race pace and tyre management, and I think this has shown in most races other than in China.  

“Qualifying has maybe been a little more up and down than I would have liked, but it’s not been bad in general. We’re targeting being more consistent in Qualifying and trying to evolve in all areas.” 

Finishing eighth on three occasions and fourth twice, Oscar has been amongst the most consistent drivers in 2024 – a hallmark of his junior career - but still expects more from himself, with an emphasis on a few key areas.   

Oscar was particularly impressive in Saudi Arabia, where he made a clever move on Fernando Alonso for fourth in the opening stages before holding off the two-time World Champion in the closing laps. However, he did spend a period of the race stuck behind Lewis Hamilton, and he believes that the areas he’s targeting for improvement would help him take his race craft to the next level and pay off in situations such as this.

“It comes with experience, gelling more with the car, and finding that sweet spot, so that you know where the limit is,” Oscar says. “Sometimes, I think I’ve left a bit on the table, and other times, I think I’ve overstepped the mark a little bit, so I am working to find out exactly where the limit is, without overdoing it. That is the biggest thing that I am trying to work on at the moment.  

“The other would be to try and take another step forward in tyre management. It has definitely improved, but that doesn’t mean it is where I want it to be, there are still improvements to be made in that area and other things to work on.” 

The Australian star was back at the factory ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, debriefing with the team, analysing the data, and spending time in the simulator. It isn’t only our drivers working on improvements, with the team edging closer to installing our first aerodynamic upgrade of the season.  

Speaking ahead of the race weekend, Andrea said the upcoming improvements should be a “noticeable” step forward in the coming races, but not as sizeable as those installed at the Austrian and Singapore Grands Prix in 2023.  

The upgraded elements that can be fitted trackside will be installed on Oscar’s car for the Miami Grand Prix, with the Australian then receiving the full package at the following round in Imola. Discussing what he expects from the full upgrade package, Oscar said he’s excited by what's to come and has been impressed by the work back at base.

“I think we’re in a good place,” Oscar says. “We’ve got some clear strengths, and in the right conditions, we’re very quick. We've got some weaknesses in certain conditions and on certain types of tracks, so we've still got some work to do in those areas, but I think we're in pretty good shape.  

“With some upgrades, we can really start to challenge at the front. The team will always try and get the most out of the upgrades that they can. I can try and guide the team with what things I want the car to be able to do, but they will always work to make the quickest car that they can.  

“I know how much faster it’s supposed to be, roughly what the upgrade is supposed to do, and what it is supposed to change, but we’ll wait and see. With the current regulations and tyres, there is only so much you can change on a car, but I know how much quicker it should be, and hopefully, that is a good sign.”