Sky Sports activities commentator Martin Brundle has made a giant name in Oscar Piastri‘s favour, saying the Australian has the “edge” over teammate Lando Norris after his faultless win in Miami.
Monday marked Piastri’s third consecutive grand prix win – the primary time in 28 years a McLaren driver has gained three grands prix in a row.
It’s the first time an Aussie driver has gained three races in a row since Alan Jones in 1980 and 1981.
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The Australian celebrity prolonged his lead within the Formulation 1 drivers’ championship with the victory and leads Norris by 16 factors within the standings.
“[He’s] positively bought the sting over Norris in terms of race craft,” Brundle stated of Piastri.
“Norris appears to have a fraction of an edge over tempo, however…Piastri is getting the job executed.
“He is getting strikes executed. He isn’t making errors. And he is getting victories.”
Race winner Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren celebrates the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
Brundle says Piastri’s consistency is what has been main the Aussie to continued success.
Jenson Button – the 2009 F1 world champion – echoed these sentiments, saying his “tempo was unbelievable.”
“Wonderful job by Oscar this weekend. As quickly as he will get within the lead he is formidable. He simply controls the race and it is extraordinary to look at,” Button stated.
Piastri began Monday’s race in fourth place however leapt to second within the first 4 laps.
He then took the lead on lap 14 when he overtook polesitter Max Verstappen.
By lap 18 he drove to an eight-second lead, and held it to complete forward of Norris with Mercedes driver George Russell taking an opportunistic remaining spot on the Miami podium.
Russell was capable of leapfrog Verstappen for third after he benefitted from the Digital Security Automotive, leaving the Pink Bull driver looking for tempo and driving residence in fourth.
“I gained the race that I actually needed to,” Piastri stated.
“Yesterday was a tough day. The dash was what it was, however qualifying was in all probability considered one of my trickiest classes of the 12 months, and to come back away with a win nonetheless on Sunday (Monday AEST) is a formidable end result.
“There was a little bit of argy bargy at flip one which helped me out a bit, after which I used to be conscious sufficient to keep away from Max coming by means of at flip one.
“The automotive was unbelievable at the moment.
“I believe in the direction of the tip I began to get issues a bit extra again below management… very pleased with the win, very pleased with the factors however always bought to continue learning.
“Very blissful to be leaving Miami on prime.
“It is simply unimaginable, the exhausting work that is gone in. I bear in mind two years in the past right here in Miami we had been genuinely the slowest crew. I believe we bought lapped twice.
“To now have gained the grand prix by over 35 seconds to 3rd is an unbelievable end result and the exhausting work of each single particular person – firstly the individuals right here on the observe however everybody on the manufacturing unit as nicely.”
The win extends Piastri’s championship lead forward of teammate Norris. He has taken 4 of the season’s six race victories and appears to be the strongest contender for the drivers’ championship.
Norris began second on the grid subsequent to polesitter Verstappen, however misplaced three locations on the primary couple of laps after operating off the observe making an attempt to make a transfer on Verstappen.
“He pressured me off… what am I meant to do, drive into the wall or one thing?” Norris stated on crew radio.
McLaren crew principal Andrea Stella admitted that the crew got here into the Miami weekend with the quicker automotive in scorching situations and had been capable of maximise efficiency higher than the remainder of the grid.
“It proves that the automotive was very aggressive at the moment, nicely executed to [our drivers] for exploiting the efficiency that now we have obtainable within the automotive,” stated Stella.
“Particularly in scorching situations it seems like our race tempo is certainly very robust.”
In the meantime, younger Aussie driver Jack Doohan‘s race completed prematurely after a tangle and collison with Liam Lawson at flip one.
The 22-year-old’s race ended nearly instantly after it started on Monday morning on account of a tyre puncture from the incident.
Lawson managed to get his automotive again on the observe however Doohan was pressured off and his race was completed.
Doohan had certified for the primary time forward of his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly in 14th and Sky Sports activities commentator David Croft admitted it was “wretched luck” in Miami for the younger Australian.
