Piastri comfortable with joint record result 

Oscar Piastri is “pretty happy” to share the record for the highest finish by an Australian on home turf with his manager Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo.

Piastri drove his McLaren MCL38 to fourth place at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix from fifth on the grid position, coming home 35s off winner Carlos Sainz.

In just his second drive around Albert Park in front of a record crowd of 452,055, the 22-year-old matched Webber’s (2012) and Ricciardo’s (2016, 18) fourth place finishes for Red Bull.

Daniel Ricciardo memorably crossed the line second and soaked up the podium celebrations in 2014 but was later disqualified due to breach in fuel flow regulations.

Piastri started fifth and held position off the line and was elevated to fourth thanks to Max Verstappen’s retirement.

The home hero hit third to the delight of the home crowd after stopping on lap 10 to cover George Russell and undercut teammate Lando Norris by 5 laps.

Although team orders allowed Norris to go by and onwards to a comfortable podium, 30s ahead of the #81, Piastri believes he could not have done much more.

He felt the middle stint on the Hard tyre was a bit under par as he locked up and went off at the penultimate corner on lap 39 just before his final stop.

But Piastri is pleased to join Webber and Ricciardo with fourth on home soil.

“I think it was a good result,” Piastri said.

“I would have loved a podium but I was pretty happy with that. I don’t think there was too much more we could have done on my side.

“There were a few little things I could have done a little bit better. I struggled a little bit in that middle stint on the hard.

“But all in all I am still pretty happy with the race and good points for the team.”

Piastri was also impressed with McLaren’s race pace, admitting to his surprise the papaya cars could challenge runner-up Charles Leclerc and not be attacked by the sole remaining Red Bull of Sergio Perez.

“We were quicker than what we expected,” Piastri said.

“We were a bit surprised we could stay so close with Ferrari. It was also a positive surprise and that Red Bull were not quicker.

“A good step forward and we will see if we can keep that going.”

When asked if he had any issues with being asked to hand over third to Norris, Piastri stated it was the “right decision”.

“That was fine,” he responded to Sky Sports F1.

“Lando qualified in front and tried something a bit different and was a bit quicker than me in the middle of that stint.

“It looked like he could get in front of the Ferraris and I was just holding pace with them, so that was completely fair and the right decision by the team.”

Piastri will return to the scene of his first career podium at Suzuka on April 5-7.

Photo by Mark Horsburgh/Motorsport Images

Don’t forget the latest issue of Auto Action available via subscription here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – the only place you’ll get to read the full story. For more of the latest motorsport news, subscribe to AUTO ACTION magazine.