Oscar Piastri has been reflecting on how he has changed in the 12 months since he claimed his first Grand Prix victory, with the Australian feeling that his 2025 campaign has featured “a lot more good days” due to having “improved as a driver”.
After making his debut on the grid for McLaren in 2023, Piastri has been on an upward trajectory in terms of his results, having gone from achieving two podiums in his rookie season to becoming a race winner at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Following a second victory last year in Azerbaijan, the 24-year-old has gone on to score six triumphs so far in 2025, with this also giving him an nine-point lead over team mate Lando Norris in the World Championship standings.
Having recently returned to the scene of his debut victory during F1’s visit to the Hungaroring, Piastri took a moment to reflect on how he feels that he has changed one year on from that milestone moment.
“[I’ve been] developing a little bit in a lot of areas,” Piastri explained. “Last year, I felt like I had some weekends that were very strong and felt like I had enough to win races on my good days. But there were a lot of average and sometimes bad days in between.
“This year has been full of a lot more good days. I have improved as a driver, but I think I’ve been able to get closer to what I think I’m capable of more often.
“That’s been the biggest thing. It’s not come from one specific area. It’s come from looking at lots of different things. Being able to execute what I think is my best more and more often, that’s been the difference.”
Another change since the mid-season point in 2024 is that Piastri leads the championship this time around, meaning that he will continue to face a battle with team mate Norris to claim the title during the second half of the campaign.
In terms of what the defining factor might be regarding who will come out on top between the two drivers, Piastri said: “The way you win races at the back end of the season is the same way as at the start.
“You need to be faster than everyone around you and you need to make the least mistakes possible. That aspect doesn’t really change. Like I said, it’s great to be consistent, but if you’re consistently being beaten, that’s not a recipe for a championship. It’s a balancing act of both.
“Obviously, if you’re a robot, you’d be able to be as fast as possible and make zero mistakes, but we’re all humans, so that’s not possible.
“There is going to be an element of minimising mistakes, but you need to be fast at the same time, and you can’t afford to sit back. If you try to take that approach, you’ll end up being beaten.”
After F1’s traditional summer break, the season will resume with the Dutch Grand Prix across the weekend of August 29-31.
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