Piastri 'came alive' to earn maiden F1 pole after McLaren struggles

Oscar Piastri has explained how he and his McLaren "came alive" during Chinese Grand Prix qualifying to earn a maiden F1 pole position.

The Australian set two times in Q3 that would have been good enough for pole, and ultimately set the all-time fastest ever lap of Shanghai to become the 107th different driver to earn an F1 world championship pole, and the first for Australia since Daniel Ricciardo at the 2018 Mexican GP. 

The McLaren car has proved quick, but edgy in China, with Piastri struggling through Q1 and Q2, but ultimately found the pace in Q3, when the likes of team-mate Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in third through fifth, could not improve on their final laps. 

"I'm glad it looked like that, because it didn't feel like that," Piastri replied when asked if he had the car hooked up through the session. 

"I just found a lot of pace, in Q1 and Q2, I was genuinely struggling and the car just came alive in Q3, I came alive in Q3, so I was happy with what I did at the end.

"The laps were a bit scruffy, but I am pumped to be on pole, it is a lot of fun with the new surface, it is extremely grippy, which is the best feeling in the world, but the other thing that comes with that is that when you lose grip, it bites.

"There have been a lot of snaps and moments this weekend, and it is pretty tricky, but when you hook it up, it feels pretty mega, so I'll take the fastest lao of Shanghai. 

"I need to make sure I keep the clean air, but I was pretty happy after the Sprint, we did the most we could, and I would have been happier with one place higher, but I couldn't have asked for much more.

"We learned a lot, so I am looking forward to trying to put that into use."