FILE PHOTO: Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 5, 2024 McLaren's Oscar Piastri ahead of the grand prix REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
SILVERSTONE, England (Reuters) - Australian Oscar Piastri believes he can be Formula One world champion with McLaren this year after addressing last season's weaknesses.
The 23-year-old, set for his third campaign alongside Briton Lando Norris after winning twice in 2024, told reporters at the first running of the new MCL39 car that he was now a more complete package and on equal terms with his teammate.
"Definitely we are starting on a clean slate and I do think that I can become world champion this year," said Piastri, who helped the team win their first constructors' title in 26 years last season.
"I think we've gone into a lot of detail on how we can be better prepared for this season.
"I feel like 12 months ago I was going into the season still with some weaknesses that I wasn't particularly confident with. I think through last season I addressed them.
"It's now just about addressing them every weekend and making sure that I'm putting my best foot forward every weekend and that is what is going to be the difference."
Piastri finished last year fourth overall after winning in Hungary and Azerbaijan. Norris, now the bookmakers' favourite, was overall runner-up to Red Bull's quadruple champion Max Verstappen.
The Australian recognised he was not the finished article but questioned whether anyone was and said he had been working hard in the simulator.
"I think if we can work on some of the things that we've set out to do in this off-season then I'll have a lot of tools to be able to try and make that happen," he said of his title ambitions.
He said the McLaren pair would be able to race each other hard but cleanly. Last season, the Australian had to support Norris's title bid after his own hopes drifted away.
Piastri spent the European winter break enjoying a home summer in Australia, watching tennis and cricket and catching up with friends in "probably the longest trip I've had back since I left home about 10 years ago."
He said he felt refreshed and ready to go again, with Melbourne now the season-opener on March 16 after Bahrain took a later date due to Ramadan.
"I'm very excited to have it back as round one," he said. "I'm probably glad it wasn't the opener in my rookie season because that would have been pretty full on."
No Australian has ever won his home Grand Prix in championship history. Piastri finished fourth last year with Norris third.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)
