Piastri 'Bluffs' on McLaren's Pace After Chaotic Las Vegas Friday
Oscar Piastri remained unsure of McLaren's true pace after a chaotic Friday at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with a red-flagged FP2 limiting his track time. Despite the uncertainty, Piastri noted positive signs and believed the team has improved their car performance at the circuit compared to last year. His teammate, Lando Norris, topped the limited FP2, hinting at potential pace for McLaren this weekend.
Oscar Piastri was left scratching his head over the McLaren car's pace following his outing in the second practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Australian driver concluded the chaotic second practice session under the Nevada lights in 14th place, uncertain about the McLaren car's true pace. "It's difficult to know exactly where we sit," Piastri told Sky Sports, but acknowledged signs of decent overall speed while noting that other drivers never had the opportunity to set a quick lap.
Why it matters:
The Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend started with unusual disruptions, making it difficult for teams to assess their true performance. For McLaren, a team that has shown strong competitive strides this season, understanding their pace relative to rivals is crucial as they aim to consolidate their position among the top constructors and challenge for podiums.
The Details:
- FP1 Performance: Piastri reported that the first practice session was "pretty good," indicating initial positive signs for the car's setup and feel.
- FP2 Disruption: The second practice session was significantly impacted by a red flag due to a loose manhole at Turn 17, limiting Piastri to only two laps. This severely curtailed his ability to gather meaningful data on soft compound tires.
- Teammate's Pace: Despite the chaos, teammate Lando Norris topped FP2 with a lap time of 1:33.602, suggesting underlying potential within the McLaren package on the soft tires.
- Car Improvement: Piastri expressed confidence that McLaren has improved its car performance at the Las Vegas circuit compared to the 2024 campaign, where the team finished well off the pace in sixth and seventh place.
- Adaptive Strategy: The team changed a few things into FP2 which "seemed to feel pretty good," and Piastri noted that the track will continue to change, requiring ongoing adaptation.
What's next:
Teams will be looking to maximize their running in the remaining practice sessions to gather crucial data and fine-tune their setups for qualifying and the race. The unique nature of the Las Vegas street circuit, combined with the earlier disruptions, means that effective data analysis and quick adaptation will be key. McLaren will be aiming to build on Norris's strong FP2 showing and translate that pace into competitive qualifying positions.