Oscar Piastri points to hidden factor which ended 15-year F1 drought

Oscar Piastri has pointed to the work he did in the F1 off-season as a key factor behind becoming the first Australian in 15 years to lead the drivers' championship.

Piastri won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for his third win from five races to start the season, with this result coupled with team-mate Lando Norris finishing fourth enough to send Piastri to the top of the standings for the first time. 

The Australian has 99 points from five races, with Norris second on 89. In climbing to the summit, Piastri has become the first Australian since Mark Webber - his manager - after the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix to lead the standings. 

Daniel Ricciardo never managed higher than third in the championship during his time in F1, with Piastri pointing to his winter work away from F1 being the reason he is now the title favourite. 

"I still want to go out and try and win every race I can," Piastri explained to media including RacingNews365.

"I'm not that bothered by the fact that I'm leading the championship, but I'm proud of the work and the reasons behind why we're leading the championship. 

"Melbourne wasn't a great start to the year in terms of results. But from the moment I've hit the track this season, I felt like I've been in a good place. 

"Leading the championship is a result of all the hard work we've done in the off-season, the hard work I've done personally, the hard work the team's done. 

"I'm more proud of all of those things than I am of the fact that I'm leading the championship because, ultimately, I want to be leading it after round 24, not round five."