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Oscar Piastri described the wet second practice session in Albert Park as valuable ahead of Sunday’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
While Friday’s second 60 minutes of running started dry, conditions soon closed in and saw the field switch to intermediate rubber.
It was the first time Piastri had sampled the grooved tyre.
“Very, very special obviously to be here at home,” the Melburnian said moments after climbing from the car.
“Nice track – the walls are a bit closer than they look on TV!
“But I feel like it was a good day.
“P1 went pretty well, P2 the first time on an inter, which was some useful learning as well, so feels like we’re in a pretty decent place.
“They behave how I expected them to work, so no surprises,” Piastri added of the intermediate tyres.
“It was useful to get out there and just do some laps, firstly of the track because I think any laps I can do around here is beneficial, and then just see how long the inters last, how quickly the track dries.”
Piastri logged 21 laps in Free Practice 2, the most of any driver in the session as he banked experience in slippery conditions.
That left him 14th, though the session was somewhat unrepresentative as most had their programmes interrupted.
“It’s hard to get a read of course of every Friday where everyone else is, and I think with the weather today I think some of the more quali-style runs were probably cut short for most of us.
“So hopefully tomorrow is dry. I think it’s going to be very cold – typical Melbourne!
“But I think we’re in a reasonable place where we have been the last few races.”
