Oscar Piastri satisfied with second place on the grid: Baku victory is within reach

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Oscar Piastri had to admit defeat to the competition in the Baku qualifying (session report!) and started from second position for the fourth time this year. Nevertheless, the McLaren driver believes he has a chance of winning again in Baku. “I think from our starting position, yes,” said the Australian confidently.

However, the start could play a decisive role. “We saw yesterday that it is quite difficult when you are behind someone. I also hope that I can get some free air, that would be good,” said Piastri, hinting at wanting to take the lead as early as possible.

“We’ll see what we can do,” smiles the McLaren driver, who classifies his own racing pace as competitive. “But as I said, the Ferrari is certainly not slow.” As in Monza, it looks like a duel against the Italians, with Piastri not wanting to commit to which team has the faster racing car.

“Probably the one who crosses the finish line first tomorrow,” laughs the 23-year-old, who is chasing his second career victory since the Hungarian GP. “I think it’s very balanced. Throughout the whole training it looked very close between us, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull.”

Piastri “not particularly surprised”

That’s also why Piastri was surprised that Red Bull had no chance of pole on Saturday and is not further up the starting grid. That could turn out to be an advantage for McLaren in the end.

“I think our race pace looked good yesterday, but these days the top four teams are so close together in race pace that qualifying often makes a big difference,” said the fourth-placed driver in the World Championship.

“I also have confidence that our car will be fast,” smiles Piastri, who suspects, however, that the race on the street circuit in Baku will not be easy. “There are definitely seven other cars on the track that are certainly not slower.”

Unlike his teammate Lando Norris, who was already dissatisfied on Friday and had to give up in Q1 of qualifying, the Australian is confident. “I said yesterday that I had the feeling that we were in the green zone,” said a delighted Piastri, who is “not particularly surprised” that he ended up in the top 3.

“But yes, I definitely didn’t have the feeling that we were the fastest yesterday,” admits the McLaren driver. As in the last race, the top teams are very close in Baku. “Red Bull looked very fast at certain times. Ferrari obviously looked very fast. Mercedes was also very fast at times.”

Commitment is rewarded with second place

Although Piastri was “in a pretty good position” before qualifying, he had to push himself to the limit in the third and final part of qualifying. That’s why his last lap was “not the cleanest.” “There were a few big moments and a few touches with the wall,” grins the Hungarian winner. “I tried to get everything out of it that I could.”

“On this track, commitment is really rewarded,” says Piastri, who knew in the final laps of Q3 that he didn’t have much to lose. “So I just tried to get the most out of the car. I had a good feeling the whole time.”

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Oscar Piastri believed he was in contention for victory on Sunday

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The fact that he only had one fresh set of tires available in the third part of the qualification was no problem. “Due to the way the track has developed, it’s more about driving a good lap than having the perfect set of tires,” the 23-year-old recalls the special features of a street circuit.

Piastri “quite satisfied” with starting position

Even with the used tires, the McLaren driver placed third on his first attempt, which he was “quite happy with.” “And with the second set of tires I got a little more,” the 23-year-old recalls.

There was therefore hardly anything that could have gone better on Saturday. “I’m pretty happy with the first row on the grid,” grins Piastri, who at least in the first few corners doesn’t have to worry about giving his teammate a helping hand or even letting him pass. That’s why the focus is initially on Leclerc: “Hopefully we can have a fight tomorrow.”