Piastri believes he “has all the tools” to play for the title in 2025

McLaren is the 2024 constructors' champion. A title won after 26 years of drought, instigated in particular by all the team's staff, but especially by its drivers: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The two teammates were able to perform consistently throughout the year in order to overcome the obstacles of the Red Bull and the Prancing Horse to take first place in the championship.

These two drivers also learned a lot this year, during a campaign at the forefront that they had never experienced before. Whether Piastri or Norris, both men have reached a milestone in terms of driving, notably respectively achieving their first victory in the premier category and having their most successful season.

Oscar Piastri's career in F1 is relatively recent. The 23-year-old driver will begin his third season in the discipline this year. In 2024, the Australian finished fourth in the drivers' championship behind the three strong men of the season: Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. He has two victories, in Hungary and Azerbaijan, as well as eight podiums.

Piastri has also joined the closed circle of drivers who have completed all the laps of each Grand Prix in one season. A feat only achieved by Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher before him.

In 2025, McLaren drivers will be among the favorites to succeed Max Verstappen as world champion, if the British team continues its momentum. Piastri is convinced he has what it takes to challenge for the title, but remains aware of the few gaps he still needs to fill: “I think so [je peut être un candidat pour le titre en 2025]. [Mais] I still have things to learn and improve.”

“I feel like I'm getting to a point where some days I think I have almost all the tools I need.”he told Motorsport.com. “I just don't put them all together, not the way I want to, and I feel like last year I didn't have all the tools I needed. I had some, but I was missing others.”

“I feel like this year, if I don't have them all, I certainly have a lot more – and whether it's race pace, qualifying, racing with the others, I I feel like I showed good things in these areas, or even in some of them. I was generally very satisfied with everything I did.”

Indeed, Piastri made progress that allowed him to become a double Grand Prix winner. However, the Australian had some difficulties in qualifying, having only been able to beat his teammate in the exercise on six occasions, sometimes failing far from it as during the American tour at the end of the season . He has so far never won a pole position in the main race, while his neighbor in the garage has eight this year.

Piastri knows he still has to improve. However, just like his team, he too was racing at the front of the grid for the first time. A position that can sometimes be cruel, highlighting your exploits as well as your mistakes.

“I think we’re just going to have to put a little more order into everything we do.”added Piastri about McLaren's performance in 2025. “When you're at the front, you're exposed to everything you can't do perfectly, more than you would be if you were a little further back in the pack.”

“But I feel like I have all the tools I need [pour me battre pour le titre]. I just need to be able to use them on a regular basis.”

Comments collected by Erwin Jaeggi