Oscar Piastri believes he “has all the tools” available to become Australia’s first Formula One World Champion in over 40 years next season.
The McLaren driver has enjoyed a successful sophomore year in Formula One, winning two races and currently sits in fourth in the Drivers’ Championship entering the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend.
However, while he has enjoyed his most successful year to date in his short F1 career, he hasn’t been able to put the same consistent results together as his teammate Lando Norris, who still has a chance of winning the Drivers’ Championship with three rounds remaining.
Speaking to The Roar in the Las Vegas paddock, Piastri said that he believes that next year he will be more than capable of battling for the Championship.
Oscar Piastri with the winner’s trophy. (Photo by Peter Fox – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
“It’s of course largely dependent on what the car is like, but if we have a car similar to what we have now from the start of next season, then going for the championship is the main target, and I feel like I have all the tools now,” Piastri said.
“It’s just a case of getting them all together.”
Piastri added that while he has made significant improvements from his inconsistencies in his first season in 2023, there are still gains to be made in his driving and overall performance to help him become Australia’s first Formula One World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980.
“I feel like there’s been flashes here and there,” he explained.
“There’s been a few weekends where I feel like I’ve pretty much hooked them all up and those have been the races where I’ve won or had really good results.
“But there’s also been weekends where I’ve not capitalised as much, so it’s a very different feeling over from the first season where I had good weekends but still some poles and some weekends where I really struggled.
Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren F1 Team. (Photo by Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images)
“This year it’s been some things have maybe not gone well and then you’re kind of stuck because of qualifying or whatever, but the potential is always there so that’s exciting for next year.”
Piastri won his first race in Hungary this year, and backed it up with another win in Azerbaijan four races later.
Together with Norris, he has helped McLaren to first place in the Constructors’ Championship, with the team currently leading Ferrari by 36 points.
He said that despite not being in the hunt for the Drivers’ Championship like his teammate, overall he has been happy with his season.
“I’ve been largely happy with the season,” Piastri said.
“There’s some big things I wanted to improve from last year and I feel like I’ve gone a long way to improving those.”