Piastri Sees 'Plenty of Positives' Despite Tricky Vegas Opening Day

Oscar Piastri remains optimistic about the rest of the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, despite a heavily interrupted FP2 session limiting his track time. The McLaren driver found “plenty of positives” from his first day on the Strip Circuit, building confidence for the upcoming sessions.

Why it matters:

Piastri's positive outlook, even with limited running, signals McLaren's potentially stronger position compared to last year's difficult Vegas outing. With the track evolving rapidly and top teams still finding their feet, a resilient mindset and a car with 'decent pace' could be crucial for McLaren to capitalize on the unpredictable nature of the weekend and push for strong qualifying and race results.

The details:

• FP1 Performance: Piastri secured an encouraging eighth place on the timesheets in the first practice session, indicating a solid baseline for the weekend.
• FP2 Interruptions: The second practice session was severely disrupted by red flags, allowing Piastri to complete only two meaningful laps. He ultimately finished 14th in this session, making it difficult to gauge true pace.
• Car Pace: Despite the limited running, Piastri expressed confidence in the car's 'decent pace,' though he acknowledged that few drivers managed a clean soft-tire run, obscuring the true competitive order.
• Improved Baseline: Piastri believes McLaren's car feels significantly better than it did during their challenging weekend in Las Vegas last year, suggesting the team has addressed fundamental issues for this unique circuit.
• Ongoing Adjustments: The team made several changes to the car for FP2, which Piastri noted felt 'pretty good,' and further adjustments are planned overnight to optimize performance.

What's next:

Piastri and McLaren are preparing for qualifying and the race, expecting the track conditions to continue evolving significantly. The team's ability to adapt to these changes and unlock the car's full potential will be key to their success in what promises to be an unpredictable Las Vegas Grand Prix. If Piastri's initial positive assessment translates into improved performance, McLaren could be in a strong position to challenge at the front.