Despite having fractionally missed out on his maiden F1 title, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri reckons that his team-mate Lando Norris is “a very deserving winner.”
Starting from the second place on the grid, Lando Norris managed to keep his position, albeit his team-mate overtook him later on during the opening lap with a sensational move.
The Australian started on Pirelli’s hard tyres, and stayed out for a long first stint, completing a one-stop strategy while his direct rivals elected to cover the race distance by pitting twice.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc displayed an unexpectedly strong race performance at the Yas Marina Circuit, keeping Norris honest, but the McLaren driver always had something in reserve when the gap started to reduce. The Briton ultimately finished third which was enough for him to fractionally beat Verstappen, sealing his maiden world championship title in Abu Dhabi.
Piastri was unable to put Verstappen under pressure with his one-stop strategy, and slightly struggled with his medium tyres during his long second stint, but it was still enough for him to end a season on a high with a second-place finish.
Pushed on to reflect on his season, Piastri explained that he has “learned a hell of a lot about myself” through the difficult moments.
“I mean, I think, obviously, I would have wished for a slightly different ending, but I think this year I’ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a race car driver, myself as a person.
“I think if you had presented this season at the start of the year with the pole positions and the wins and the podiums, I definitely would have been pretty happy with that.
“And I think even in the tough moments, I’ve learned a lot about myself and how I can be stronger in the future. So, I think, ultimately, there’s a little bit of disappointment, obviously, but I think I can be very proud of the season I’ve had and plenty of lessons to take to the future.
Asked to share his thoughts on his team-mate Lando Norris’ performance and the job he’s done this year to be world champion, Piastri claimed that the Briton is a “very deserving winner.”
“I think a very deserving winner. I know that every weekend I go on track, it’s going to be tough. And I think we’ve pushed each other through the last three years.
“I think especially this season has been tighter than ever. So, yeah, I think he’s had a great season. Probably all three of us, but obviously, myself and Lando in the same team, in the same car, have had our ups and downs at different moments. Ultimately, I think he’s had a good season and a deserving champion.”