Why does Oscar Piastri think McLaren will fare better at the 2023 F1 Monaco GP than in Miami?

Oscar Piastri feels McLaren will perform better in Monaco than they did at the Miami GP. The Australian felt the warmer weather and circuit characteristics could suit their car better.

Speaking in the FIA drivers press conference ahead of the Monaco race, the McLaren driver said:

"I hope so. I think, also, it's supposed to be a lot colder than Miami was, which we think was part of our issue as well. So yeah, obviously a very different circuit here to Miami, so hopefully it suits us a bit better. But in saying that, we need to address our weaknesses in other areas too.”

In Miami, the two McLarens finished 17th and 19th in the race, with the Australian being the slower driver. Oscar Piastri’s rookie season has been hampered by their car problems but he has managed to match experienced teammate Lando Norris on several occasions.

According to the 22-year-old, their car is expected to fare better in Monaco than it did in Miami, as the circuit characteristics are different. Monaco is the slowest circuit on the calendar and the layout comprising of slow-speed corners and shorter straights could be a blessing for them. The warmer temperatures at the Monaco weekend could help them further.

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Oscar Piastri expects his debut F1 Monaco outing to be a faster one than in the junior series

Having driven in the principality before in the F2 series, Oscar Piastri expects his maiden F1 outing at the track to be quicker. The Australian also feels the three practice sessions before the F1 race weekend allow him to acclimatize better to his car and the circuit compared to the 45 mins of practice in an F2 weekend.

Outlining his expectations for his maiden F1 outing in Monaco, the Australian said:

“Faster – that's for sure. I think the first time I went to Saudi this year was quite an eye-opener, how much quicker Sector 1 is in an F1 car. So I think everywhere around here will feel a lot quicker. But we've got three hours of practice, which is nice compared to the 45 minutes I used to have around here."

"So, it's a lot of time to get used to it. Obviously, you want to try and start on the front foot and build yourself up from a good starting point, but yeah, we've got time and obviously it could be mixed conditions as well, so I think depending on the session, it could be very different for everyone.”

According to Zak Brown’s quotes on the F1 Nation podcast, the McLaren will be better around Monaco but the field is tight, which means it could come down to the drivers making the best of the opportunity. The Monaco outing could be an exciting prospect for Oscar Piastri to outperform his experienced teammate.