Piastri targeting Monaco victory after front row commitment

Oscar Piastri believes his qualifying efficiency on the final two races have proven his confidence to be dedicated on robust circuits and is focusing on victory on the Monaco Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc secured pole place in Monaco with Piastri second on the road circuit, following the identical efficiency in Imola every week in the past. On that first event, Piastri misplaced his entrance row beginning spot as a result of an impeding incident earlier within the session, however he says each tracks have similarities that enable him to show how assured he’s with the upgraded McLaren.

“I believe we got here into this weekend fairly assured that we may very well be within the combat for pole and the win once more,” Piastri mentioned. “Going into qualifying, perhaps we weren’t as satisfied this week. However no, it felt good. Fairly connected in qualifying.

“And I believe for me, we are saying Imola and Monaco are very totally different circuits, however each of them want lots of dedication. Imola you get it a bit unsuitable, you’re within the gravel entice and the wall. Right here there’s no gravel entice, it’s simply the wall, so that they’re each two fairly massive dedication tracks, clearly right here being a step above in all places — perhaps a bit extra comparable than individuals assume.”

With Leclerc on the within and a brief distance to Flip 1, Piastri nonetheless believes he has a shot at taking the lead in the beginning, or via the pit cease part to beat the Ferrari.

“The run to Flip 1 is all the time your greatest probability at any monitor,” he mentioned. “Right here, clearly, it’s a really quick run. You’ll be able to strive one thing with [the strategy], as a result of…until there’s an enormous tempo distinction — which I’m fairly positive there gained’t be — then overtaking is unimaginable right here. It’ll be gained or misplaced within the pits in all probability, so [we’ll] ensure that we now have day.”

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Piastri’s teammate was nonetheless constructive about ranging from fourth regardless of lacking out on the entrance row, as Norris highlighted an uncommon challenge that affected him early within the session.

“Oscar completed second, so he did job,” Norris mentioned. “However he’s been doing an excellent job all weekend, to be trustworthy. I believe I’m very pleased, as a group we needs to be pleased with a second and fourth at a road circuit and to be as near Ferrari as we have been. We knew they might be near the favorites this weekend, so to separate them and have Oscar there I believe is an efficient signal.

“In fact I’d like to have had P3, however it’s such a small margin, such somewhat little bit of lap time right here or there, though misjudging one thing by the smallest quantity can price you. I’m nonetheless pleased I bought extra in rhythm come Q3.

“Q1 was a bit nerve-racking as a result of a part of stickers from the obstacles got here off and bought caught beneath my automobile, which then price me the tires and issues like that. It was a little bit of a large number, however [things happen] in F1 as a result of it might have price me my entire weekend. I used to be fortunate to get via, in any other case I believe it was day for us.”

Norris says F1 and the FIA didn’t hearken to driver considerations concerning the promoting that was getting ripped off the obstacles on common events in the course of the weekend.

“I needed to pit to get it off,” he mentioned. “It simply shouldn’t occur in Components 1. It’s a bit foolish for my part; we mentioned it will occur yesterday and so they mentioned they have been going to repair it however clearly it wasn’t mounted. It’s a disgrace that it’s a must to get fortunate; I used to be fortunate that I had sufficient time, in any other case it will have ruined my qualifying and my entire weekend.

“There’s nothing I can do. It may well solely damage your race on the minute. They should provide you with a greater answer than simply stickers due to course we’re touching the wall and all these things, however it’s not acceptable that this will damage your entire weekend, only for some stickers and issues like that. They should discover a higher answer.”