Oscar Piastri beats Lando Norris again
Once again, Piastri finished ahead of Norris in what had previously been the Australian driver’s Achilles’ heel: the single flying lap. The main threat to the McLaren duo is new father Max Verstappen, who will start just behind them. Despite the lower stakes compared to Sunday’s race, it’s very likely that Oscar and Lando will try to quickly get ahead of the talented Bolognese driver.
The goal is to keep the Dutch world champion at bay. It couldn’t be otherwise, as he remains the only real threat to the drivers’ title. Today’s race will also be full of uncertainties, as the teams, with only one hour of free practice during the U.S. weekend, didn’t manage to gather enough data to predict tyre performance over a stint.
It was a very tight program, focused on finding the right balance for both the Qualifying Shootout and aggressive setups aimed at maximizing performance with the low fuel load expected in the Sprint Race. While Piastri appears stoic, seemingly unaffected by what happens around him, Norris continues to show signs of nervousness behind the wheel of the MCL39.
Lando Norris’s actions and reactions reveal his tension
During the first and only free practice session, Lando reported via team radio that he needed to return to the pits because some tools used by the Woking mechanics were still inside the cockpit. This was undeniably a serious oversight—if those tools had reached the pedal area, they could have prevented use of the throttle or brake.
In this regard, the Bristol driver’s irritated reaction is understandable; however, it exposed the team to an investigation by the FIA, as the mistake could have had serious consequences. The tools being thrown from the car in front of cameras wasn’t a pleasant sight, especially considering this is the reigning world champion team.
Moreover, it essentially put the mechanics—who often work tirelessly to repair the car even after Norris’s own crashes—in the spotlight. At Jeddah, Lando wrecked his MCL39. It’s not the first time Lando has acted out or spoken inappropriately, such as when he reminded Lewis Hamilton in the Hungarian Grand Prix cooldown room that he had a dominant car for seven years.
Oscar Piastri’s calm confidence
On the other side of the garage, the atmosphere is calm. The Australian has the chance to gain points on both Lando and Max. Pole position was within reach, but Piastri himself admitted that his final attempt was not error-free. Despite the lack of solid references, Oscar Piastri expressed strong optimism about race pace and the still-untapped potential of the McLaren in this early phase of the weekend.
Kimi Antonelli’s surprise performance leaves no negative residue, as McLaren’s driver duo, under Andrea Stella’s guidance, are fully convinced they can overturn the qualifying result over the Sprint Race distance. As for the next qualifying session, the goal will be to manage tyre wear across the three sectors to avoid overheating in the final part of the lap.
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