New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) McLaren driver Oscar Piastri is high on confidence after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend, which helped him close the gap with teammate and championship leader Lando Norris to three points. The Australian is ready to carve out the best from his car in the upcoming races of the season.

Piastri suffered a disappointing start at home in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix after sliding off the track in treacherous conditions and dropping to ninth from a potential podium finish. However, the 24-year-old bounced back strong and registered victories in China and Bahrain while finishing third in Suzuka in between.

Asked about his mental strength to recover from what happened in Australia, he said: “I think it is a strength of mine, yes. I think one of hopefully a few strengths of mine, but it is something that I have kind of recognised myself as a point of difference and is something that I’ve tried to work on.

“Even after Melbourne, it was painful in the first few days afterwards, but I think the fact that I had such a strong weekend through Practice and Qualifying and was on the pace in the Race, was more encouragement than disappointment.

“I feel like the whole season has been going well, and I’ve just been trying to get the most out of what we know is a quick car. It’s been a fun first few races and hopefully, more fun to come,” he said.

With McLaren looking at the class of the field in these early stages, both Piastri and Norris have had to respond to questions about how they will approach a battle between them for the Drivers’ title.

Batting away any consideration of changing how he goes racing, given his championship potential, Piastri added: “I think it’s just genuinely very early. We’ve still got 20 races to go. I’m under no illusion that I’m trying to fight for a championship, but I knew that from before the season started.

“For me, the best way of trying to achieve that, especially at this early point in the year, is just by doing the best job you can each weekend and scoring the most points you can, then seeing where you end up towards the end of the year.

“But the number one defence of a championship is by attacking and, for me at the moment, trying to win races and qualify on pole position, that is going to be the best help for my championship.

“I’ll try to do that, but it’s also the most fun way of going racing, trying to win the race, so I’ll keep doing it,” he concluded.

–IANS

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