Piastri praised for coping with Formula One mania

Steve Larkin | March 31, 2023

Oscar Piastri is being hailed for calmly coping with the mania of his first home Formula One grand prix as Red Bull lay down an ominous marker in Melbourne.

Piastri was 12th fastest of the 20 drivers in Friday’s opening practice at Albert Park and 14th quickest in a wet second session.

Red Bull’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen posted the fastest time of the day for his team which dominated this year’s opening two races.

The Melbourne-born Piastri coolly handled what his McLaren team principal Zak Brown described as “Oscar mania” in his home city.

“He’s a very mature 21-year-old, very focused,” Brown told reporters.

“You kind of wouldn’t know it’s his home grand prix from his perspective.

“You can obviously clearly tell around the track that it’s Oscar mania, if you like.

“But he’s very focused, head down – can’t really tell the difference between here or Saudi and Bahrain.

“That is what is going to make him a really good grand prix driver, is his focus and his calmness.”

Piastri, who finished last (20th) in the season-opener in Bahrain, 15th in the next race in Saudi Arabia, described his home debut as “very, very special”.

“It was a good day,” he told reporters.

“P1 went pretty well, into P2 the first time on an inter (intermediate tyres) which was some useful learning as well.

“So it feels like we’re in a pretty decent place.”

Red Bull banked one-two finishes in the opening two races – Verstappen triumphed in the opener and teammate Sergio Perez won the next.

The duo are hot favourites to repeat the feat at Albert Park.

“We have got a great car,” Red Bull principal Christian Horner told reporters.

“It’s a fantastic starting point to the season for us and to achieve two one-two finishes in the first two races is more than we could have ever expected coming into the season.”

Horner admitted surprise at the gap between Red Bull and a chasing pack as Verstappen logged the quickest lap time – one minute 18.790 seconds – of both practices.

In the opening session, Mercedes ace Lewis Hamilton (1:19.223) and Perez (1:19.293) were next best.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was fastest in the second practice, posting a 1:18.887 lap before rain fell, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (1:19.332) and Verstappen (1:19.502).

Piastri recorded a fastest time of 1:19.777 in the first practice and 1:20.380 in the second.

A third and final practice will be held on Saturday before the qualifying session for Sunday’s race.