Oscar Piastri expressed disappointment over McLaren’s qualifying performance at the Monaco Grand Prix, stating the team was likely destined for seventh place regardless of any changes made. The session marked a significant milestone as McLaren approached its 1000th Grand Prix.
Qualifying Outcome for McLaren
During Free Practice, both Piastri and his teammate, Lando Norris, struggled to secure spots within the top five. Despite hopes for improvement ahead of qualifying, McLaren could not match the pace of frontrunners like Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari.
Piastri’s Qualifying Session
- Piastri finished in seventh place, over half a second behind pole sitter Kimi Antonelli.
- He acknowledged that a small amount of additional lap time may have been available but believed the seventh position was inevitable.
- The car lacked grip throughout the session, contributing to the team’s struggles.
“We struggled with the balance yesterday. Today the car felt slightly better, but we still lacked grip compared to others,” Piastri commented.
Norris’s Experience
Lando Norris faced his own challenges in qualifying, ultimately placing eighth. A minor mistake during his second run hindered his performance.
- Norris noted a lock-up into Turn 10 caused the error.
- He confirmed that even without the mistake, McLaren’s competitors had a significant speed advantage.
“We just didn’t have the car all weekend. It’s clear we’ve been struggling,” Norris remarked. He highlighted that despite being two tenths faster at one point, the gap to other teams remained too large to bridge.
Looking Ahead
Both drivers recognized the difficulties faced during the weekend. The team aims to analyze their performance and make necessary improvements moving forward. With the Monaco Grand Prix behind them, they hope to regain confidence and competitiveness in upcoming races.
