F1 | McLaren’s Andrea Stella explains Oscar Piastri’s low grip struggles in Mexico qualifying. Andrea Stella clarifies McLaren’s explanation for Oscar Piastri’s seventh place in Mexican GP qualifying.

Is there a Piastri case? What has been seen on track in Baku, Singapore, Austin, and now in qualifying in Mexico City suggests a clear trend: Oscar Piastri seems to be going through a noticeable dip in form, and his lead in the Drivers’ Championship is gradually shrinking. Specifically in Mexico City, where he will start seventh while teammate Lando Norris takes pole, Oscar Piastri’s rival and teammate could have the opportunity to reclaim the top spot in the standings, with 14 points separating the two.

No issues with his McLaren

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella completely ruled out the possibility of technical problems holding back Oscar Piastri: “All the tests, all the data, and all the measurements from the information we have indicate that there are no issues with the car, and we have no reason to suspect otherwise. We are confident there are no problems with the car.”

Explaining Oscar Piastri’s difficulties

So what could be Oscar Piastri’s problem? Andrea Stella offered this explanation: “The way to extract lap time here in Mexico comes naturally for Lando, but less so for Oscar. Lando is a driver who excels with low grip, for example at the end of a stint, with worn tires and reduced adhesion. Oscar, on the other hand, is more of a high-grip driver, and in those conditions he can fully exploit his incredible talent. Just because he is the championship leader, we must not forget that this is only his third year in Formula 1,” concluded the Italian team principal.