2025 Bahrain Grand Prix

After dominating the Bahrain Grand Prix from pole, Oscar Piastri was asked how he felt in the McLaren. “The car is in a great place. Still has its moments where it bites, but for a lot of the time it’s an incredible car to drive and clearly very quick. So yeah, very proud of the work we’re doing. This has been a track that’s not been kind to us in the past, so to have a weekend like we have had this weekend is a really meaningful result — outside of the victory.”

He was asked the question partly because of how his team-mate Lando Norris — who finished a scrappy third after qualifying only sixth — had articulated his disappointment with his own performance. “I wish I knew the answer… you just know when things click, when you feel confident and comfortable. I’m confident that I have everything I need and I’ve got what it takes. But something’s just not clicking with me and the car. I’m not able to do any of the laps like I was doing last season. Then, I knew every single corner, everything that was going to happen with the car – how it was going to happen. I felt on top of the car. This year, I could not have felt more opposite so far. Even in Australia, whether or not I won the race, I never felt comfortable, never felt confident.

“The car was just mega and that’s helping me get out of a lot of problems at the minute. But I’m just nowhere near the capability that I have – which hurts to say. Is it me? Is it some of the car? It’s complicated. But I’m not doubting myself, even though sometimes it may seem like that. It’s just something’s not gelling, something’s not clicking, and therefore I just don’t feel comfortable when I’m in the car.”