Oscar Piastri: I will fight for the title!

      Before the home stage, Oscar Piastri extended his contract with McLaren and was happy to talk to reporters.…

      Question: Oscar, congratulations on your new contract. You probably haven't watched Drive to Survive yet, but Zach Brown said there that the Lando Norris era is beginning. Did you think about this when signing the contract?Oscar Piastri: To be honest, I haven't watched the series yet. But I remember last year well, there is no need to repeat it, although there is a lot in Drive to Survive that is born during installation.

      I am confident in myself and in what I can do. Lando and I are both starting the season from scratch, we will both fight for the championship title. I know where I have to improve compared to last season. But I've done a lot of work and I hope for a good season.

      Q: Does it feel like McLaren can dominate this season, like Red Bull has in recent years?Oscar Piastri: No, I don't think so. Of course, it would be great to achieve such success, every team and every driver dreams of it. But it would be naive to expect this in the last year of the regulations, given how last season went.

      I think the upcoming season will be just as intense, if not even more difficult, than the second half of last year. Next year we will have a new regulation, which is likely to seriously change the balance of power. But I don't think anything will change this season, the fight will be very tight.

      Q: Oscar, when did you stop feeling like a beginner in Formula 1?Oscar Piastri: I just signed a new contract yesterday! In fact, in Formula 1 you are constantly learning. Even now, two years later, there are things that I'm learning and improving. I'm sure if you ask Lewis and Fernando, they'll say the same thing. It doesn't matter how many decades you've spent in Formula 1.

      As the season progresses, after the first race or the first couple of races, you start to feel more comfortable. The home race complicates things a bit, but there will be a few more stages and you will get used to it.

      Q: Everyone considers McLaren the favorite of the season. If so, what are the rules of the game? Have you already discussed how you will resolve internal issues between yourself and Lando?Oscar Piastri: We are starting the season with a clean slate, whoever is faster on the track will win. We are very clear about how we enter the season – we will fight, hopefully it will be a fight to win. Everything is very clear. We discussed a lot about last season and how we handled it at the end. I think we'll both do our best to win this year.

      Q: Another Australian, Jack Duane, will make his Formula 1 debut this year. Do you think he deserves a place in Formula 1? What contribution can he make to the sport?Oscar Piastri: It's always nice to see the Australians on the starting line, Jack certainly deserves it. He has achieved great success in his junior career. I know what difficulties he faced last year when he was left on the sidelines.

      I know it's not easy to get back behind the wheel when you haven't raced in so long. It's going to take time for him to feel confident, and it's not just a car right now, it's a Formula 1 car. But yes, it's great to have another Australian here.

      Q: This is your third time at the Melbourne Grand Prix, so what can you learn from the previous two races that might help you?Oscar Piastri: Experience can help. I chose the right strategy in the first race, which allowed me to win back, and I did very well last year. There is always something to add, but this applies to any race. There are always details that can be carried over to the next race. It's not necessary to take this experience only from Melbourne, but remembering last year's qualifying or race, you catch some features.

      We hope that this race will go well too. Now I know the track very well, I know what to look for in terms of strategy, how to drive in the race. But one factor cannot be taken into account – the weather in Melbourne. Let's see if it works this time. But overall, I'm in better shape now than the first time I came here two years ago.