“Interesting things can happen. That’s what I learned…”
Oscar Piastri may be aiming for his first F1 world championship, but he has previously won titles in multiple junior categories. While F1’s last final race title showdown of 2021 was being held in Abu Dhabi, Piastri had secured his championship by wrapping up his F2 crown in a sprint race at Yas Marina that weekend.
His last F3 title looked assured until he was overtaken at the end by outsider Theo Pourcher in a tricky final round at Mugello, but then teammate Logan Sargent (who was also firmly within the frame by the final race) was quickly eliminated. It may not be easy for the drivers who lose the most.
“From where I’m sitting, something needs to happen in the race to win the championship,” Piastri said Saturday night in Abu Dhabi. “So I’ll wait and see if those things happen…”
Piastri is in an excellent position in these respects, having secured third place on the grid behind the front row of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. However, the final finishing positions are not good enough for either of the chasing drivers, with Norris likely to be crowned champion with a podium finish on Sunday.
Pole sitter Max Verstappen said of his approach as a result: “I gave it my all. I had nothing to lose.” “So, for me, of course, I’m going to try to win the race. I’m going to defend. If I have to attack, I’ll attack. Because what could happen? You’re either second or third. Otherwise, you win. That would be great.”
- Verstappen beats Norris and Piastri to take pole at title-clinching Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Verstappen has had the starting job done, but to defend his title he needs to maintain his lead and Norris drop at least two places before the finish. Lewis Hamilton vs. Nico Rosberg faced a similar scenario in 2016, but while Hamilton tried to bring his rival into the pack behind him, the Dutchman believes that is not a realistic option if he wants to influence the result himself.
“The layout was different (in 2016),” Verstappen said. “I feel like I can pull more around the laps now, so it’s probably not as easy to do something like that.
“Cars are also completely different back then. I felt it was much easier to back up back then because the tires would overheat a lot when you got close to the car. I remember even on my qualifying lap in 2016, I couldn’t go full speed in sector 1 to keep the tires alive in the last sector. For example, here it is.
“Obviously, I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it. I’m going to try to win that race. But of course, I still need a little bit of help and luck to win the championship. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”
Realist Norris was disappointed that it was Verstappen who beat him to take pole position, given that the defending champion is his biggest threat to the title, but said he was keen not to overthink the situation starting from second and would weigh the risks against the rewards at the moment.
“I felt like I got a lot out of the car today, but it wasn’t enough,” Norris said. “I was a little disappointed because I just wanted to get pole position for the last race of the year, but we just didn’t have the pace today.”
“I felt like I was getting the most out of the car and I have to be happy with that. Of course I was behind the one guy I wanted to be in front of, so that’s the only reason for the disappointment. But apart from that, I was pretty happy with my lap and it was the most we could do.”
“I will decide (how I will approach the race) when I have to make a decision… There will be a time to think about it. But for now I am disappointed not to be on pole position, but I still want to win tomorrow, so that will be my goal.”
While Piastri revealed the biggest lesson he learned from his previous title scenarios, Norris had experienced a defining day just a week earlier. However, the championship leader does not consider that experience to be relied on.
“It feels a little different[in Abu Dhabi]just because it’s the last race of the year and not for any other reason,” he said. “I felt pretty normal until last Sunday. I started second so I didn’t really expect to win the championship, I really didn’t have any expectations.”
“I felt good then, and I feel good now. Comfortable and ready. I feel like I have a good plan for everything. But you can’t plan everything.”
Although three candidates finished in the top three in the qualifying round and separated themselves from the rest, they are aware that there is no guarantee that they will stay that way. Within 24 hours, two of them will be lamenting missed opportunities, while one will be celebrating a once-in-a-lifetime result.
