Oscar Piastri: I hope it works out this time.

      At the qualifying in Suzuka, Oscar Piastri showed the third fastest time, only behind the Mercedes drivers. After the session, he summed up the day...

      Question: Oscar, great performance! How clean were your attempts? Oscar Piastri: I think they all went quite well. The last lap in the final was a bit chaotic, but other than that, we did well.

      After the third practice, I had a clear idea of what I wanted from the car and how to drive it. This year, sometimes you have to act unconventionally, but I'm happy with the result.

      In the first session, we didn't look very good, but in the second, we found the right pace and managed to maintain it in the final. At one point, I realized we would be on par with Ferrari, and I'm glad I finished third.

      Question: You said the final attempt was chaotic. Could you have pushed more and gotten closer to Mercedes? Oscar Piastri: Probably, but it's hard to say for sure. With these cars, sometimes you think you're going faster and doing the right thing, but in the end, you're slower because the power unit doesn't like it. Finding the optimal balance isn't easy, but I think this time we were close to the maximum.

      Question: This year, the season has been tough for McLaren. Are you satisfied with your speed compared to the leaders? Oscar Piastri: Of course, it's nice to be closer this time. With each weekend, we learn more about the car and the power unit. But I think losing to Mercedes in Suzuka isn't so bad, as strange as that may sound. We've gotten faster, but we don't have any illusions. We know we have quite a bit to catch up on.

      Question: In the last two races, you couldn't start. Do you feel like you're falling behind due to a lack of experience with the car in race conditions? Oscar Piastri: I don't think so, but it's hard to judge until you're in a race. I've tried to learn as much as possible by watching the races from the sidelines. There were some interesting moments when cars were going at different speeds on different parts of the track. Yesterday, I overtook someone in the first Degner, and it felt completely different.

      You're constantly learning, and the level of understanding has to be very high. But I think the pace will determine your result – and the start. We'll see. I hope everything goes well this time.