Australian Oscar Piastri is hunting his third Formula One victory on Sunday evening when he starts from pole position at the Chinese Grand Prix.
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Piastri, who looked on track to claim a spot on the podium at his home race last week before spinning on lap 44, claimed the first pole of his career on Saturday in Shanghai.
It was the first time he out-qualified McLaren teammate and championship favourite Lando Norris since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last September.
Zak Brown said on Sky Sports after qualifying that clean air would be a “critical” factor in determining whether Piastri converts the pole into a race victory after Lewis Hamilton took advantage of it on his way to a win in the sprint.
Piastri echoed Brown’s concerns, telling Sky Sports “I want to make sure I keep the clean air”.
Fellow Australian, who starts 18th on the grid for Sunday’s race, also said similar after becoming one of several drivers to struggle with tyre degradation on the resurfaced Shanghai International Circuit.
Piastri takes POLE after record lap time | 02:50
“The most part of it, to be honest, is going to be trying to find free air,” Doohan said, according to speedcafe.com.
“That’s going to be the most important as, at the end of the day, you’re not really going to be in free air.
“But try and help that front-left tyre, what everyone’s struggling with, is going to be the most important thing.”
Elsewhere, all eyes will be on struggling Red Bull recruit Liam Lawson’s future amid a report from the Race on Sunday that claimed his future with the team is already in question.
The report suggested next month’s race in Japan, at a track which Lawson is more familiar with and has had more success at, could ultimately decide whether Red Bull makes a switch.
Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok, however, said that he believes Lawson deserves at least six races to prove himself.
Lawson’s qualifier: ‘Not good enough’ | 01:36
“Clearly it’s not an easy car to drive and if you drop Yuki or Isack into it, you have to give them half a dozen races before you judge them,” Chandhok said.
“It’s a bit unfair to judge before that.
“We’ve got the first five flyaways before we go to Europe and I imagine that’ll be a natural point where there is some sort of conversation.”
Lawson crashed out in Melbourne last week and finished last in both of the qualifying sessions in China.