Oscar Piastri described the Japanese Grand Prix as “one of his best weekends” in Formula 1, after securing his first podium of the 2026 season, finishing second in Suzuka.
The McLaren driver made an exceptional start, placing himself first after starting from third position. He only lost the lead on lap 23 due to a safety car, prompted by an accident involving Oliver Bearman, which allowed Kimi Antonelli, the Mercedes championship leader, to make a more advantageous pit stop.
This result represents a great relief for Piastri, who began the season with two retirements, one due to an accident during the reconnaissance lap in Melbourne and another due to mechanical issues in Shanghai.
“This weekend has probably been one of my best in F1,” Piastri expressed, who now occupies sixth place in the championship. “We did a good job during practice and qualifying, and we achieved a good pace in the race.”
Referring to his strategic performance during the race, he said: “Our strategy was correct, but the safety car’s appearance was unfortunate; nonetheless, I felt satisfied with my performance and that of my team.”
Despite this success, Piastri admitted that there are still aspects to improve, both in terms of individual performance and the reliability of the team. His teammate, Lando Norris, faced issues during the weekend, complicating the season start for McLaren.
“Clearly, we need to find additional performance. Reliability has been a problem for us at the start of the season,” concluded Piastri, who now hopes to continue improving in the upcoming races.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
