Since its introduction in 1958, 170 chassis constructors have sent cars out to compete in the Formula 1 world championship for constructors, with a total of 15 winning the constructors’ championship. Ferrari holds down the record for most titles with 16. Back in third place is McLaren, with a total of eight constructors’ championships.
As fate would have it, this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will see a constructors’ championship showdown between Ferrari and McLaren. Currently holding down a 21-lead over Ferrari, McLaren can take its first constructors’ crown since 1998 if drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri can conjure up 24 points Sunday afternoon at the Yas Marina Circuit.
“If we can cap it off with the world constructors’ championship this weekend, that would be the icing on the cake,” said Piastri, who is currently fourth in the drivers’ standings with 2024 grand prix victories at Hungary and Azerbaijan
In his second year as a McLaren F1 racer, Piastri is proud to be a member of the organization formed in 1963 by Bruce McLaren. Formed in 1963 and with 12 drivers’ world championships to its credit, Piastri is eager for the same sort of success with the team that McLaren legends James Hunt, Nicky Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton have attained.
“It’s very, very cool to be a part of McLaren,” said the Australian. “When you look back to before I was born and the history of the team, it is very incredible to be joining the list of McLaren drivers now and the list of world champions that we’ve had as a team. I think even more myself and watching McLaren while I was growing up, I’ve always liked the very, very old McLaren cars that you couldn’t miss out on the track. Now to be, hopefully this weekend, part of that next chapter of McLaren’s history is very exciting.”
While teammate Norris came closest to knocking Max Verstappen from his drivers’ championship pedestal this season, Piastri has a lot to be satisfied with from his sophomore campaign.
“I think it has definitely been a good year. Compared to last season, we’ve taken a nice step forward as a team. I also think for myself, personally, I feel like I’ve taken a step forwards, as well,” Piastri said. “I’ve got a couple of wins and a lot of podiums, so it has been a hell of a lot of fun, for sure. It has been a great season.”
Being such a high-profile driver in a high-profile F1 team, has Piastri found it difficult to focus at times in such a globetrotting series?
“It is a little it,” he admitted. “I mean we spend so much time on the road and at races, you often don’t have that much time to do much else. But it is good fun. I think for me, I’m here because I want to win races and become a world champion. I think staying focused is pretty straightforward. Of course it is a tiring season. It is a very long season we have nowadays, but I think when you’re fighting right at the front, it makes being motivated very easy.”
It takes a lot of behind-the-scenes effort to give Piastri his best shot. Steven Tee/Motorsport Images
And he’s still impressed by how much effort goes on behind the scenes in getting McLaren’s two cars onto the grid on every grand prix Sunday.
“Yes, there is a lot more behind the scenes that I guess people don’t see on TV,” said Piastri. “I think ‘Drive To Survive’ has probably shown a little bit of that in the last few years. You know we have a lot of commitments outside of driving — the amount of work we do with the media, with our sponsors and stuff like that. We probably drive the car for half the time we spend doing all the other things involved.
“Even just the traveling can be tough. On TV we magically appear from circuit to circuit, but it takes a long time to get to all these places. Especially this tripleheader has been brutal, going from Europe to Vegas and then all the way across the other side of the world for the next weekend. It’s been a busy few weeks, for sure.”
But the intensity of the competition makes it all worthwhile, he says.
“It has been a lot of fun fighting with Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes this season,” said Piastri. “I think at times it was probably a bit closer than we would have liked, but I think it’s really great for the sport. It has been a long time since we have had such an open season and so many teams fighting for victories. More than seven drivers have won multiple races and it’s the first time in a lot of years where there have been so many different winners. It’s been exciting to be a part of.
“It’s very difficult out there. Every track we go to I feel like we’ve been quite consistent through the year. We have a different challenge or different challengers each weekend, so it is never easy. But as a fan, I think it’s great to watch. Even as a driver, knowing that you have a chance of winning each weekend — or at least being in the fight for it — is very exciting.”
Piastri battles with Mercedes’ George Russell in Qatar. Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
With the competition fierce up and down the grid all season long, Piastri spoke about what it takes to find any edge he can.
“I think it all just hard work, really. There is the team around you trying to get the most out of the car. Obviously, it’s not just down to the driver, it’s down to the car, as well. But I think working together with the team to try and get the best combination of the two is very important. I think it’s a lot of hard work. Of course there is your training and looking out for your energy. There are a lot of things where I don’t know if you can necessarily gain an edge, but you can lose an edge. I’m trying to make sure that you are on top of all those things. The biggest thing, by far, is working with the team to be as prepared as possible when you’re on track.”
With the curtain about to come down on the 2024 F1 season, Piastri, still keen to optimize the past GP of the year is already putting an eye on 2025
“In 2025, hopefully, I’ll be fighting for both world championships. Of course it depends on what kind of car we have and what car our rivals have got. I think that’s definitely the hope and certainly what I’ll be preparing for in the off-season.
“I think this year I have made some really good steps forward from my rookie season. Especially in the races, I feel like we’ve taken a good step forward. However, I also feel that I’ve made too many races too difficult for myself in qualifying. I’m needing to make progress in the races through the field. I think that if I can tidy that up and start a bit higher up in most of the races, that would make life easier. I think that’s probably the biggest area to improve on for next year.”
