Source : ABC NEWS
Formula 1 championship leader Oscar Piastri enters this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix riding a wave of momentum.
The Melbourne-born McLaren driver has won the previous three grands prix, and holds a 16-point lead over teammate Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship with a quarter of the season completed.
Piastri’s victory two Sundays ago in Miami created history for McLaren, with the Australian becoming the first in 28 years to win three consecutive grands prix for the famed British team.
The record for a McLaren driver is four, held by the legendary Ayrton Senna, a feat Piastri can replicate this Sunday night at the famous Imola circuit, where Senna lost his life in a crash 31 years ago.
The McLaren team dominated the Miami Grand Prix with Piastri and Norris claiming a 1-2, and finishing more than half a minute ahead of the rest of the field.
With four grand prix wins this season and the fastest car over race distance, Piastri said he was not getting ahead of himself despite being in a great position.
“I think there will be a lot of competition, but I feel like I’m driving well at the moment,” he said at Imola on Thursday, local time.
“I feel like the team’s doing a really good job helping me get the most out of myself, get the most out of the car.
“Clearly, the car is very strong.
“I think we have the potential to have a really good year, but I’m not too concerned about that at the moment — just trying to win more races.”
McLaren won last year’s constructors’ championship and are at the front of the field again after six rounds.
The team holds a 105-point lead over second-place Mercedes, which is having a solid season despite being the only outfit in the top four not to register a grand prix or sprint race victory.
Piastri told the media on Thursday his, and McLaren’s, main focus was to beat their rivals, while also acknowledging the inter-team fight with Norris in the drivers’ championship.
“For me at the moment, the results have been a good confidence boost for myself, so that’s always important,” he said.
“But in terms of the mentality and feeling in the team, we’re still trying as hard as we can to beat all the other teams — and also each other.
“I think that’s going to remain the same for the rest of the year.”
ABC Sport will have a live blog of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix this Sunday, with the race beginning at 11pm AEST.
