P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Piastri: Japan ‘wasn’t my strongest Sunday’ despite ‘special’ podium
McLaren showed improvement with recent upgrades and excelled at the high-speed Suzuka circuit, finishing as the second-fastest team behind Red Bull. Oscar Piastri had a strong start, but was demoted to third place after being squeezed by Max Verstappen. He mentioned that he had the opportunity to replicate the famous collision between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna at the first corner. Despite the setback, Piastri settled for third as the safest option. He managed to stay ahead of his teammate, Lando Norris, after the first pit stop due to a Virtual Safety Car period. However, Norris caught up quickly and McLaren instructed Piastri to let him pass. Piastri admitted that he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his race pace, especially in high-degradation races like this one. He acknowledged that managing the tires better in such races is an area for improvement and that it comes with more experience. Overall, Piastri described it as a special week, highlighted by his contract extension with McLaren. He expressed his excitement for his first podium finish and his determination to continue learning and improving.
Source: Motorsport Week
