Oscar Piastri, currently leading the 2025 Formula 1 championship, prioritized improving his qualifying performance during the off-season, a strategy he credits for his enhanced race results this year. This focus on Piastri’s qualifying has allowed him to convert better grid positions into stronger race finishes, helping him maintain a championship lead.

Piastri began the season far more competitive than in previous years, now holding a nine-point advantage over his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, with ten races left to run. His progress contrasts sharply with the earlier part of his career, where he often competed in the shadow of Norris.

How Qualifying Improvements Transformed Race Challenges

Reflecting on the past two seasons, Piastri identified qualifying as the key area where he made substantial gains. While advancements in tyre management contributed to his development, he explained that most progress in handling tyres occurred last year. Instead, this season’s edge comes from a marked improvement in qualifying speed, which has significantly eased race-day pressure.

“I was making a lot of races more difficult”

by lacking those extra tenths in qualifying, Piastri acknowledged, explaining how subtle time gains early in the weekend translate to easier race management. This change has redefined the way many of his races have played out since the start of 2025.

He continued,

“I think [the improvement] has been a bit across the board. I felt like from 2023 to 2024, I took a pretty big step in tyre management.”

Yet, he clarified that on weekends when underlying pace was strong, tyre wear was less of a concern and the challenge shifted to finding pure speed.

Many weekends still required him to extract marginal gains in pace, especially in high-speed corners, which strain tyres the most. In those moments, Piastri aimed to enhance qualifying results as his primary method of reducing race difficulties.

“Trying to find performance was the biggest thing in the off season before this year, and just trying to find that wherever we can in qualifying,”

he said.

The Detailed Approach Behind Faster Qualifying Times

Piastri highlighted the painstaking effort involved in improving his qualifying laps amid a fiercely competitive 2025 F1 grid, where pole positions have often been decided by mere hundredths of a second. This razor-thin margin left little room for error and demanded precision in every aspect of his preparation and driving.

“There was definitely a lot of focus on data points and how I can change my driving a little bit, what things I needed to work on,”

Piastri explained. He and his team analyzed corner types and specific circuits that required refinement to unlock speed.

Beyond data, he stressed the importance of mental and physical improvements, the subtleties of car control, and maximizing teamwork.

“We’re talking about such fine margins, especially this year – we’ve had so many qualifying sessions decided by less than a tenth that you really do need to try and get those hundredths from wherever you can.”

Collaboration with engineers played a critical part of this journey.

“I’m trying to find it from everywhere. But obviously there was a lot of work with my engineers and the team around me to try and work out how I can ultimately drive faster,”

Piastri said.

Impact on Championship and Future Prospects

Piastri’s focused improvements in qualifying have not only simplified his race weekends but have also shifted the dynamic of the 2025 championship battle within McLaren. His gains over Norris demonstrate how success in qualifying can cascade into race-day advantages and championship momentum.

With the season still unfolding, these developments suggest that fine-tuning qualifying performance will remain critical for contenders aiming to capitalize on small margins that make the difference at the top level. Piastri’s experience underscores the evolving nature of Formula 1 competition, where holistic attention to all driving and team elements can lead to decisive progress.