Oscar Piastri finally fixing problematic F1 issue as McLaren driver told it’s ruined ‘many races’

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Oscar Piastri put on a show at Spa to secure second place in the Belgian Grand Prix to prove to James Hinchcliffe that the McLaren driver is finally fixing a problematic issue.

The 23-year-old is currently enjoying the best run of results of his fledgling Formula 1 career to date. Piastri got on the podium at three of the four Grand Prix prior to the summer break. He even won a main race for the first time, leading a McLaren one-two at the Hungarian GP.

Piastri already had a Sprint victory to his name after tasting glory in his rookie campaign last year at the Qatar GP. Now, the Australian boasts everything except a pole position and a title in F1. Piastri has taken second on the grid four times so far, including at three races this year.

James Hinchcliffe thinks Oscar Piastri is finally ‘getting the hang of’ tyre management

But while Piastri won the Hungarian GP after McLaren’s team orders saw Lando Norris yield the race lead, his tyre management skills have often remained lacking. Yet Hinchcliffe thinks the Melbourne native’s run to P2 in the Belgian GP proved he is finally overcoming the issue.

Last season often proved to be an extensive learning programme for Piastri as he debuted in Formula 1. His troubles keeping life in the Pirelli rubber throughout a stint especially proved costly following his first P2 start at the Japanese GP after Norris surged past during the race.

Those issues also continued into 2024 as Piastri finished his home Australian GP 30 seconds behind Norris for P3 and P4. But the way he finished the Belgian GP as the quickest driver in the lead fight with Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton impressed Hinchcliffe.

Hinchcliffe told the Formula 1 website: “His ability to manage the tyres to have that pace late in the stint has been an area that needed improvement at many races this year.

“But at Spa, he showed he is getting the hang of it. A podium position at the flag was well deserved, and the promotion to runner-up was the cherry on top for the driver who has out-scored everyone but Max Verstappen in the last eight races.”

Oscar Piastri has scored 126 of his 167 points in the last eight rounds

Piastri has been Formula 1’s in-form man since salvaging his P13 finish in the Miami GP after Carlos Sainz crashed into the McLaren pilot. Over the eight rounds since, Piastri has scored 126 of his 167 points this season. Only Verstappen with 141 of his 277 has scored more, too.

Sergio Perez has even only bagged five more points through the 14 rounds this season than Piastri has taken in the past eight alone. The Red Bull racer had scored 103 of his 131 during the initial six rounds of the season, too. But while Perez has regressed, Piastri has improved.

Developing his tyre management skills has been crucial for Piastri’s improvement, as well. It allowed the McLaren ace to chase Hamilton down in the Belgian GP, with just 0.647 seconds splitting the pair in P1 and P2 after Russell’s disqualification over his underweight car at Spa.

Had Piastri not run deep in his box and lost two seconds as his McLaren mechanics shuffled forward during the Australian’s second pit stop, he may well have managed to make a move on Hamilton, too. It might have made Piastri a two-time Grand Prix winner in as many races.