F1 Data Analysis | Piastri is the only one who can get close to Verstappen

McLaren's impressive rookie

A wet session at Spa-Francorchamps is already quite a challenge for experienced drivers, let alone a rookie making his first metres in an F1 car at the track in Belgium. Yet it is Piastri who surprisingly pulls the weight for McLaren, and in Q3, he is the only one who can come somewhat close to Verstappen's spectacular second sector.

It actually starts in Q1, where Norris pushed too much under pressure from Piastri and ended up in the gravel trap. The Brit can continue but does not get anywhere near his teammate after that. Norris is one, seven and three-tenths slower than his younger colleague in the three qualifying sections, respectively. Piastri even ends Q2 as the fastest.

That isn't repeated on an increasingly drying track in Q3. Then Red Bulls and Ferraris are suddenly more in their element, and the MCL60 cannot match them. Still, Piastri continues to show his talent, especially in the sector that really matters in a wet session at Spa-Francorchamps.

The only one who can keep up with Verstappen

You only have to look at Verstappen to know where to make the difference. The two-time world champion records a 45.697 in that sector, in contrast to Leclerc and Perez's 46.4.

Track map Oscar Piastri (red) versus Max Verstappen (white)

Piastri is the only one who can keep up with Verstappen in that sector. The Australian recorded a 45.852 in part two of the track, making him the only one along with Verstappen, to stay under 46 seconds. However, Piastri loses a lot of ground on the competition in the other sectors because the MCL60 simply has less grip in the cold conditions (the tyres warm up slower than Ferrari's, for example) and also due to its lack of top speed.

This picture is clearly reflected if you put the laps of Piastri and Verstappen side by side. The Australian is faster than Verstappen in most corners but loses that lead once the cars get on the gas. That Piastri still beat Verstappen in those parts says a lot about McLaren's car and Piastri's qualities.

Telemetry Max Verstappen (white) versus Oscar Piastri (red)

Indeed, the telemetry shows that Piastri loses a lot of speed over a full lap compared to Verstappen, but not because, like Sergio Perez, he brakes visibly earlier or gets off the gas earlier. The MCL60 is simply not going any faster. In the twisty sections, Piastri shows where his strengths lie.

Piastri shows class at Spa-Francorchamps

Especially the Les Combes section after Kemmel Straight and the Campus/Stavelot combination stand out. In those combinations of corners, Piastri gains ground over Verstappen. In Les Combes, Piastri brakes slightly earlier than Verstappen but also gets on the gas earlier in a lower gear (3rd gear for Piastri, 4th for Verstappen). As a result, Piastri picks up more momentum and more speed in that combination. Especially at the end of Les Combes, Piastri can keep his foot on the gas more than Verstappen.

In Campus/Stavelot, Piastri repeats this trick. There, Piastri shifts down to fourth gear (Verstappen keeps it in fifth) and again takes more momentum towards Stavelot. This allows Piastri to regain some ground and get on the gas earlier for the straight. With the lack of top speed, Piastri loses that advantage again against the faster Red Bull.

Telemetry Lando Norris (white) versus Oscar Piastri (red)

Anyone who thinks it is only down to the MCL60 that Piastri is so fast in that sector is wrong. Just as Verstappen makes the difference against Perez in that sector by being better in terms of car control, the same can be seen when comparing Piastri and Norris. Indeed, Piastri is faster by just under six-tenths over his teammate in that sector, and Norris, like Verstappen, does not use the tricks in the two-corner combinations. So Piastri is not only fast there because of the MCL60, but, like Verstappen, just good in that combination of corners.

Top speeds for Belgian Grand Prix

Track map Oscar Piastri (red) versus Lando Norris (white)

It doesn't seem to be down to the setup, either. Yes, Norris is faster on the straight than his teammate, but a big difference cannot be seen. Norris reaches 305.4 km/h in the Speed Trap, compared to Piastri's 304.4 km/h. So Norris will have tuned his car slightly more on the straights, but a kilometre per hour is not a world of difference.

Regarding top speeds, it is noticeable that the usual names have clearly opted for a setup with more downforce. Whereas at Spa, a setup that promotes straight-line speed is often chosen, it is clear that both Red Bull and McLaren are leaning more towards a setup with more downforce in wet conditions. The two Red Bulls also do not go faster than 307 km/h in the Speed Trap.

The outliers in the Speed Trap are the Mercedes drivers. Lewis Hamilton reaches 313.4 km/h (possibly with tow), George Russell 307 km/h. The Ferraris are also fast. Charles Leclerc clocks 309.1 and Carlos Sainz 311.7 km/h. The men could benefit from this in the race, although the tyres will also wear faster in the demanding second sector.