Formula One: McLaren’s Piastri in confident mood ahead of ‘tough’ baptism

SYDNEY – Rookie McLaren driver Oscar Piastri believes that he can beat new teammate Lando Norris in his maiden Formula One season, but admitted a steep learning curve awaited him.

The 21-year-old Australian, seen as one of F1’s hottest young talents, will make his bow in Bahrain for pre-season testing from Thursday, after replacing compatriot Daniel Ricciardo, who has returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver.

Piastri said he had confidence in his ability to better Britain’s Norris, but was also realistic about expectations. Asked if he could beat Norris, Piastri told Australian national broadcaster ABC on Sunday: “Yeah, I think so.

“Everyone has to have that self-belief that they can win, or if they’re not in a position to win, to do the best that they can with what they have.”

But he said his main focus in 2023 was to set the foundations for a long F1 career.

“Putting (points and wins) numbers on my expectations is pretty difficult, especially in F1, it will depend where we are as a team, where the car is at,” he said.

“For me, a successful year would be me setting the foundations for later in the year and the years to come, hopefully, and doing everything the right way from the beginning... starting good habits.

“If there are any results that come out of that, that’s a bonus.”

Piastri was caught in a tug-of-war between Alpine – where he was a reserve driver – and McLaren in 2022, with the former claiming he was contracted to them, even announcing him as part of their 2023 line-up.

But he forced them into an embarrassing U-turn when he said he had no such arrangement.

An International Motoring Federation arbitration panel judged in McLaren’s favour, which saw the under-performing Ricciardo’s contract terminated a year early so Piastri could join.

Piastri received plenty of negative publicity at the time and told ABC that there had been “not too much” contact with Ricciardo since. But he said he was grateful for the way the 33-year-old veteran handled the situation.

“We got in touch through texts I guess once everything had unfolded last year and he was very supportive of me both personally and on the media front as well... which I’m very thankful for,” he said.

McLaren were fifth in the constructors’ standings in 2022. Their last win came at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, thanks to Ricciardo.

Piastri’s credentials face their first test at the opening race of the season in Bahrain in two weeks, before a huge occasion at his home Grand Prix in Melbourne, where he was born, on April 2.

“I grew up 10-15 minutes down the road from Albert Park,” he said of the circuit which will host the third race of the 2023 season.

“I was there last year as a reserve driver and it was a pretty electric atmosphere. So knowing that the crowd is going to be there, with me as the home driver now. It’s going to be a very special event.” AFP