Oscar Piastri acknowledged that securing pole position at the Canadian GP might have been possible using the medium tyres, but after an unsatisfactory series of practice sessions, he decided not to take that risk. Opting instead to stay on the softer tyre compound, Piastri ultimately qualified in third place behind polesitter George Russell and Max Verstappen, embracing his position confidently as the current Championship leader.
The Qualifying Battle Between Soft and Medium Tyres
During qualifying, teams faced a challenging decision between the soft and medium tyres for the crucial one-lap pace. In the decisive Q3 session, both George Russell in his Mercedes and Max Verstappen at Red Bull went with the medium tyres. Piastri, however, maintained his use of the soft C6 tyres despite pressure from his competitors’ strategy.
This choice paid dividends for Russell and Verstappen, who started first and second on the grid, but Piastri stuck to the soft tyre plan knowing that his practice runs had been difficult. Having not featured in the top five throughout the three practice sessions, he judged that a consistent approach on the softer compound offered a safer and more reliable route to a strong qualifying result.
Piastri’s Reflections on His Tyre Strategy and Qualifying Performance
Discussing his run after qualifying, Piastri said,
“Much better than practice, that’s for sure.”
He expressed satisfaction with his performance:
“I mean, honestly, I’m quite happy here in P3.”
He acknowledged the struggles during earlier sessions and how qualifying felt like a return to normal:
“After all the practice sessions, I was struggling, obviously. I didn’t have a smooth session this morning, and, yeah, everything just felt more back to normal. In qualifying, everything came alive again.”
Addressing the question of tyre choice, Piastri remained confident:
“So, you know, there’ll always be the question — should we have gone for a medium at the end? But I think with how we’d been going in practice, having just a clean run on the same compound seemed like the best idea for us, and honestly, I think it worked well. So honestly, pretty happy.”
Implications of Piastri’s Tyre Choice for the Race
By firmly standing behind his soft tyre strategy despite the success of medium tyres for rivals, Oscar Piastri demonstrates a measured approach built on careful analysis rather than reaction to others’ tactics. His third-place grid spot positions him well for the race, especially with confidence restored after a difficult start to the weekend. How this strategy plays out in race conditions will be critical for Piastri’s pursuit in the championship at the Canadian GP, with his calculated risk underlining his maturity among F1’s top contenders.
