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Piastri admits McLaren need to review key area after Dutch GP as he reflects on ‘disappointing’ weekend
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Oscar Piastri stated that there will be “some things to look at” for himself and McLaren following the Dutch Grand Prix after missing out on a podium finish and having to settle for fourth position.
Piastri started the race in P3, behind Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, but both McLaren drivers lost ground when the lights went out – the Australian being jumped by George Russell and the Briton by his Red Bull rival.
READ MORE: Norris fights back against Verstappen to end home hero’s run of Dutch GP wins
While Norris recovered to reclaim the lead from Verstappen and ultimately take victory, Piastri lost further, crucial track position as a result of staying out longer than any of his front-running rivals in the opening stint.
Piastri emerged from his sole stop in fifth position, behind Russell and Charles Leclerc, and although his tyre advantage helped him clear the Mercedes, it was not enough to repeat the trick on the Ferrari – leaving him fourth at the chequered flag.
2024 Dutch Grand Prix: Verstappen jumps Norris to take the lead
“It’s a shame,” commented Piastri, when asked to reflect on his afternoon at the wheel and missing out on a podium finish.
“I think just a pretty disappointing weekend, to be honest. Qualifying was not as strong as I needed it to be, and neither was the race.
“Obviously, the start was pretty poor for both of us [McLaren drivers], and there’s something to review there for us as a team, then I couldn’t really make the progress that I needed.
“I just got stuck in the dirty air and, from that point onwards, it was a pretty painful afternoon, so definitely some things to look at.”
Piastri then explained the thinking behind his extended first stint, having stayed out on track five laps longer than race-winning team mate Norris before swapping his medium tyres for hards.
Piastri: ' A pretty disappointing weekend' in Zandvoort
“I think once we got undercut by Leclerc, our only option was to go long, really,” he said, referring to the Monegasque’s stop nine laps earlier.
“I think it worked well on Russell, but by the time I got back to Leclerc, it was a bit too late and then the tyre advantage had pretty much disappeared.
“A bit of a shame, but I think there are other things to work on from the weekend as well.”
Despite the disappointment of not making the podium, Piastri’s points helped McLaren cut the gap to Red Bull in the constructors’ standings once more – the margin now standing at 30 points.
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