Oscar Piastri makes 'tidy up' vow as F1 title hopes dwindle

Oscar Piastri has acknowledged there are aspects to his driving that he must “tidy up” if he wishes to keep his F1 title hopes alive.

Piastri held the lead of the drivers' championship for much of the year but struggled for form after the summer break.

Since the Dutch Grand Prix in late August, Piastri has not finished ahead of team-mate Lando Norris, a run that has seen the latter take control of the championship.

Norris now sits 24 points ahead of Piastri with two rounds remaining - a gap that would be even larger if not for the double disqualification McLaren suffered last time out in Las Vegas.

Speaking after the Vegas race, Piastri suggested there were factors both inside and outside his control that are hampering his pace.

“Sometimes all you can do is laugh and try and find the silver lining in things," Piastri told media including RacingNews365. 

"Again, I think the pace in clean air was good, and there's been things out of my control that haven't gone well recently, but there's also been things in my control that haven't gone well.

"And I think that race was a combination of both. So there's things I need to tidy up.

“But I think there's been some good positives from the last two weekends as well, just the results have not really gone to plan.”

Piastri enters the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend hoping to get his title fight back on track.

However, he also has Max Verstappen level on points with him after the Dutchman secured victory in Las Vegas.

Piastri has a strong record around the Lusail International Circuit, finishing on the podium at each visit.