PIASTRI F1 COLUMN: TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN
Piastri’s F1 column as published in Auto Action magazine issue 1873 on sale November 2nd 2023.
It’s pretty unbelievable to think how quickly the F1 season has gone. In the blink of an eye, 19 races have passed and somehow, there are just three to go …
As a driver, you have to be so focused on the small details inside the car, so concentrated on specific aspects at each of the circuits and adapt to so much information, that time just flies.
I have no idea where the months have flown by since we first went testing in Bahrain all the way back at the end of February.
We have three cool tracks to finish the season in style, with two of them being new tracks for me.
The one I’ve already driven at is the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi that will host the season finale. It’s actually a special place for me as it’s where I clinched my titles in Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019 and F2 in 2021.
I managed to seal the F2 Championship with two races to spare there and went on to win the feature race that weekend for good measure, which was awesome.
Oscar Piastri celebrates winning the 2021 FIA Formula 2 title in parc ferme at Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday December 11, 2021 in Abu Dhabi (Photo by Charles Coates / LAT Images)
Formula Renault Eurocup was a lot closer, but a win and a fourth place did the job on the final weekend and it was cool to secure both the drivers’ and teams’ titles.
I’ve never raced at Interlagos although I must have watched it countless times on TV growing up. Every corner seems like it’s had a historic battle or championship-defining moment take place there.
If there are a few moments that stick out, they are probably watching the highlights of Mark Webber winning around Sao Paulo back in 2009 and again in 2011, and I also remember his F1 last race there in 2013 when he took his helmet off on the slow down lap.
The significance and honour of driving a McLaren in Brazil, given its association with the great Ayrton Senna, is not lost on me either and it will be particularly special to represent the team in his home country.
What he achieved and how he raced, and more generally what type of person he was from talking to journalists in the paddock who dealt with him, was remarkable and an inspiration.
Las Vegas, meanwhile, will be a new one for everyone on the grid. It is going to be a spectacle to see F1 cars flying down the Strip and weaving past iconic locations such as Caesars Palace.
It also looks like it could be a tasty track with average speeds up around the levels we usually see at Monza, so it could be handy from an overtaking perspective. Fingers crossed.
From my two previous trips this year to the US in Austin recently and Miami in May, I’ve been blown away by the level of interest and atmosphere created by the fans. Add in the party atmosphere of Vegas, and I think there is going to be a real buzz around the city that will make it a unique event.
Between then and now, I have a few days back in the UK after the triple-header with some time booked in the simulator and some rest planned before we head out to Vegas a little earlier than usual given the race is on the Saturday.
Enjoy the final three races and I will be back after the final race of the F1 season in Abu Dhabi with my final column of 2023.
For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION or subscribe HERE
Download the full Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix event guide HERE with track stats and facts and a full event schedule, plus our extensive driver profiles.
For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION or subscribe HERE
Latest podcast: When Ford wins, you win!
Have we finally reached parity in Supercars with two Ford wins on one weekend, or was it just the nature of the track? It’s a no-holds-barred discussion with Auto Action’s Andrew Clarke, Bruce Williams and Paul Gover. #Supercars #F1 #AutoAction
Listen to our latest podcast episode here or on your podcast app of choice.
