Oscar Piastri: F1 drivers need to find things in data we've never looked for before in qualifying

TL;DR

Oscar Piastri emphasizes that F1 drivers need to explore unconventional data points to optimize their qualifying performance with new cars. He highlights the challenges posed by the current rules and car designs, which can penalize aggressive driving strategies.

Key points

Oscar Piastri highlights the need for unconventional data analysis in F1.
New F1 cars require a different approach to qualifying performance.
Current rules can penalize aggressive driving strategies.
Drivers must adapt their throttle and energy deployment during laps.

Mentioned in this story

Oscar Piastri

McLaren

Motorsport photo

Oscar Piastri says Formula 1 drivers must focus on “not obvious” data points to maximise their qualifying laps with the new cars, as he explained how they require an entirely different approach to reach peak performance.

The McLaren driver echoed the overall frustration of wrestling the new cars and rules in qualifying trim, when lifting off throttle and deploying energy at different parts of a lap, even if it means going slower, adds up to the fastest overall lap time.

The biggest complaint has been it denies or even punishes drivers who push flat-out in qualifying, one of the attractions for drivers’ and fans’ alike, meaning finding the ultimate performance from the new era of cars isn’t always possible over one lap.

Piastri, who qualified fifth in Australia and fifth in both the sprint and grand prix in China plus third in Japan, went into detail on how drivers must study the data differently compared to previous ruleset in F1 as well as working with his engineers using new methods.

“It's been a lot of energy, I think mainly because you're looking in such unexpected areas,” Piastri explained about adjusting to the new rules.

“We're working out the optimal points of when we should get to full throttle starting a qualifying lap, which we've never had to worry about before. How you get back on the throttle in a certain corner sequence and depending on the speed of that corner, the battery and the power unit behaves differently here [one corner] to how it does here [another corner]. You're trying to work out all those things which we've never had to do before.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Q&A

What does Oscar Piastri say about data analysis in F1 qualifying?

Oscar Piastri suggests that F1 drivers should focus on 'not obvious' data points to enhance their qualifying performance with the new cars.

How are the new F1 cars affecting qualifying performance?

The new F1 cars and rules are making it difficult for drivers to achieve peak performance, often penalizing those who drive aggressively during qualifying.

What challenges do drivers face with the new F1 qualifying rules?

Drivers face challenges such as needing to lift off throttle and deploy energy differently, which can lead to slower lap times but ultimately faster overall performance.

Why is finding ultimate performance difficult in the new F1 era?

Finding ultimate performance is difficult because the current rules can deny or punish drivers who push their limits during qualifying, impacting their ability to achieve optimal lap times.