P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren will "protect" Piastri from busy Melbourne F1 schedule
Oscar Piastri is racing in his home Grand Prix, in his second season in Formula 1. He has kept a low profile in 2023 after joining F1 in the middle of a contract dispute between Alpine and McLaren. With the growing popularity of F1, driven in part by the success of Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive,’ McLaren is focusing on managing driver schedules during race weekends to ensure optimal performance. Team principal Stella emphasizes the importance of allowing drivers time to focus, relax, and perform at their best. Lando Norris expressed his preference for just racing without extra distractions aimed at boosting the spectacle of F1. McLaren is not planning major upgrades for the Australian GP, focusing instead on minor improvements for small performance gains. Team personnel explain the challenges of deciding when to introduce upgrades within the constraints of the budget cap and the need for significant development time.
