Oscar Piastri is looking forward to his first experience of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as F1 heads to Canada this weekend.
It will be the third new venue Piastri has raced on since making his Formula 1 debut with McLaren this year, after Albert Park and Miami.
“I’m looking forward to going there,” he said of the prospect of another new circuit.
“I think it changes the mindset a little bit, obviously you need to learn the track; Canada’s basically a street circuit as well with how close the walls are.
“Yeah, you need to take that into consideration a little bit but I’m excited to learn a new track.”
The Australian has come into his own in recent races, building on a strong start to his career before banking a point in tricky conditions in Monaco.
He missed out in Spain a fortnight ago, a weekend that highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of the MCL60.
Canada poses a different challenge again, with few long or high-speed corners.
“I haven’t done that many laps on the sim around Canada before,” Piastri confessed.
“It looks like a cool track – I’ve driven it on my home simulator – but it looks like a very cool track.
“Obviously a long straight with a good overtaking zone into the last chicane, some quick chicanes where you need to thread the needle, I’m looking forward to it.”
After seven races, McLaren sits sixth in the constructors’ championship, with Piastri contributing five of its 17 points.
The 22-year-old is 13th in the drivers’ championship, two places back from team-mate Lando Norris.
Having run a tribute livery at the Monaco and Spanish Grands Prix, McLaren will revert to its standard orange this weekend.
Opening practice for the Canadian Grand Prix begins at 13:30 local time on Friday (03:30 AEST Saturday).
Discussion about this post