July 18th 2024.
As the Hungarian Grand Prix approaches, all eyes are on young driver Oscar Piastri as he continues to close in on his first F1 win. The Hungaroring has seen its fair share of first-time winners before, including names like Damon Hill, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Heikki Kovalainen, and most recently, Esteban Ocon in 2021 with Alpine.
With McLaren's strong performance this season, many are wondering if Piastri will be the next to claim his inaugural victory at this iconic track. At just 23 years old and in only his second season, Piastri has already shown great promise with three second-place finishes and a sprint-race victory under his belt. At the recent Austrian Grand Prix, he finished just two seconds behind the winner, George Russell. And at Silverstone, if he had switched to inters a lap earlier, he may have been able to deny Lewis Hamilton his memorable British Grand Prix win.
Piastri's talent and speed are undeniable, but his team's strategy has been their weakness so far. However, the Australian driver remains unfazed and confident in their potential. "We've come close a couple of times, so from a performance and driving point of view, we're doing the right things," he says. Managed by former racer Mark Webber, Piastri is part of a tight battle with four other teams on the grid. He acknowledges the challenges they face competing against teams with years of experience, but remains optimistic about their chances.
Despite his relative inexperience compared to some of the top drivers like Max Verstappen and his teammate Lando Norris, Piastri has already proven to be a well-rounded driver. He remains focused on improving himself and his team, rather than getting caught up in things outside of their control. He recalls how just last year, McLaren was fighting for points finishes, and now they are fighting for podiums. While there have been some missed opportunities, he is grateful for the progress they have made and remains determined to continue pushing forward.
At the Hungaroring, Piastri is hoping for a chance like the one Esteban Ocon had. The French driver, who recently signed with Haas for next season, had specified in his contract that he could keep his car if he won a race. And after his victory in Hungary three years ago, he took delivery of the A521 Alpine car and proudly displayed it in his dad's garage. Ocon's story is a reminder of the hard work and sacrifices that go into making it to the top in F1.
Speaking of driver changes, there have been rumors of Carlos Sainz Jr, Valtteri Bottas, or Sergio Perez potentially joining Alpine next season to replace Ocon. However, teammate Pierre Gasly believes they already have "three good options" within the team. As for Perez, his poor form in recent months has led to speculation about his future with Red Bull. The team had extended his contract through 2026 in hopes of settling him down, but his best finish in the last two-and-a-half months has been seventh. If he is replaced, Liam Lawson, who filled in for Daniel Ricciardo at Alpha Tauri last year, is a likely candidate. However, Yuki Tsunoda believes he should be considered as well, given his experience and results with Alpha Tauri.
Team principal Christian Horner's concerns about Tsunoda handling the pressure of being Verstappen's teammate have also been brought up. In the past, both Gasly and Alex Albon struggled in that role, but there are no guarantees that Lawson would fare any better. It's a decision that will ultimately be up to the team, but all eyes will be on the upcoming races in Hungary and Belgium to see how Perez performs and if any changes will be made.
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