'There have been some tough lessons to learn' – Piastri assesses title battle slump as he looks to fightback in Vegas

Oscar Piastri admits that "there have been some tough lessons to learn" over recent races as he looks to fight back against McLaren team mate and title rival Lando Norris in the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The Australian has been on a tough run of form, having seen a 34-point lead over Norris after his last victory in Zandvoort turn into a 24-point deficit, with the 24-year-old only taking one podium in the last six Grands Prix.

Ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, Piastri refuted claims that Norris was controlling mentality in the team and that his own performances were to blame for falling behind in the title race.

"I think, for me, it’s more been that the last few races have been difficult for myself," he said.

"There’s been different reasons for all of that, but I think in terms of the way I’ve gone about racing and the way the team has supported me, the way we set up the car and things like that, it has all been identical through the whole season.

“For me, it’s just that there have been some tough lessons to learn, some tough moments to have to accept, and nothing more than that.

"For me, I’m trying to do the same things I’ve done every weekend this season. Some weekends, that has worked better than others, but I feel that as long as I can get the most out of what I’m aiming to achieve, that’s all I can ask for.”

With only three Grands Prix and one Sprint remaining this season, just 83 points are available in order for Piastri to overcome Norris in the title battle.

Historically, Las Vegas has been a difficult venue for McLaren since it was introduced to the calendar in 2023, with Norris wary of his chances this weekend due to the street circuit's high-speed, low downforce nature and cold temperatures.

“In terms of driving style, we’ll have to see what we get," added Piastri. "Vegas is very specific to – or very unique in conditions, and the downforce level, the temperatures, the track surface, so we’ll see what we get.

“But from a mindset point of view, I’m just trying to get the most out of what I can do. Drive as well as I can, adapt as well as I can to whatever it needs, try and get the car in the right place, and do that as often as I can, basically.

"From that side of things, that’s what you aim to do every weekend, and this weekend is the same in that.”