Piastri Aiming to Help McLaren Knock Red Bull off Their Perch

Can Australia Oscar Pastri help McLaren to tip Red Bull from their perch? Let's take a look.

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The 2024 Formula One season has been an exciting spectacle for motorsports fans who have been following the twists and turns at every corner.

One of the major talking points of the season is the emergence of McLaren as a challenger to the relentless Red Bull machine.

Red Bull and Max Verstappen have remained a dominant force in 2024, claiming six wins out of nine races. However, Lando Norris’ win in Miami is testament to McLaren’s improvement.

McLaren’s decision to upgrade to the MCL38 car has reaped rewards. The new car debuted at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix and has since proven to be an improvement over its predecessor.

Norris has impressed on the racetracks with the new machinery and teammate Oscar Piastri is also showing signs he could become a force to be reckoned with.

The Melbourne-born driver finished fourth at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix before taking on the Australian GP, where local sports bettors wagered on him to finish in the top six.

Despite not being among the favourites on top sportsbooks platforms such as BetRight Australia, he secured another fourth-placed finish to leave Aussie punters jumping for joy.

Man of them played up their winnings at the Monaco Grand Prix and were rewarded as Piastri finished on the podium. A first victory in F1 cannot be too far away.

A measure of how far Piastri has progressed can be gleaned from the latest odds for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, where he is priced at 14/1 to win the race.

However, odds of 10/3 for Piastri to secure another podium finish will likely attract more interest from Australian sports bettors.

Piastri has Verstappen Looking Over his Shoulder

Piastri arrived on the F1 scene with plenty of confidence despite being a rookie. His early performances were promising but lacked consistency.

However, the MCL38 upgrade has unlocked a new level in his performance. Piastri is now a genuine contender for podium finishes.

The young driver enjoyed one of the most spectacular Formula 1 rookie seasons since Lewis Hamilton debuted in 2007.

Piastri was thrust into the deep end last year, but soon made his mark. He claimed fourth place at Silverstone and followed it with third in Japan before his remarkable pole-to-flag sprint victory in Qatar.

In an interview with Xinhua, Piastri asserted that McLaren could pip Red Bull to some wins this year and mount a serious title challenge next season.

He acknowledged that Red Bull remains in the lead but emphasised that the gap between the two teams is narrowing. The 23-year-old was bullish, pointing out the overall improvement amongst the chasing pack.

This is that sort of confidence that makes fans believe he can rise to the top of the ranks and challenge Verstappen.

Many people cannot wait for him to start giving his teammate Norris a run for his money before eventually challenging three-time Formula One champion Verstappen.

In a sport where the more experienced drivers try to bully rookies on the F1 circuits, Piastri is completely unflappable.

He has shown no signs that anyone can pressure him. Manager Mark Webber has played a massive role in preparing Piastri to compete with the big boys.

The former Red Bull driver has helped ease the burden on the young man’s shoulders, guiding him with remarkable temperament.

McLaren principal Andrea Stella will also play a crucial role in helping Piastri reach the maximum of his potential, as he needs a strong team behind him.

Intriguingly, Formula 1 insider Marc Priestly believes McLaren can challenge the status quo thanks to the upgrades, which have made a big difference.

“It could be McLaren or Ferrari to dethrone Red Bull and Max Verstappen,” the former mechanic said. “But we could easily see a great three-way battle next season before the regulations change in 2026.”

McLaren’s resurgence and the rise of Piastri are exciting developments in the sport. Red Bull remains the team to beat, but the tide appears to be shifting in F1.

The 2025 season will be the perfect stage for McLaren as they aim to topple Red Bull’s dominance, and Piastri will be pivotal to that bid.

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