F1 | Oscar Piastri admits major driving changes needed after Mexico collapse. After a tough Mexican Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri admits he must completely change his driving style.

After another challenging weekend in Mexico, Oscar Piastri acknowledged the need to radically change his approach to driving the McLaren in order to remain competitive in the championship battle. The young Australian admitted that something isn’t working, and the Mexican Grand Prix highlighted those struggles once again.

The weekend at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez saw Oscar Piastri finish only in fifth place, far behind his teammate Lando Norris, who delivered an extraordinary pole position and a dominant victory. From the outset, the qualifying gap had been significant, with over six-tenths separating the two McLaren drivers.

In the race, Oscar Piastri lost ground at the start, dropping to ninth position before climbing back to fifth thanks to a strong strategy and a decisive overtake on George Russell at Turn 1. However, the result was not enough. With only four races remaining, Oscar Piastri has now lost the championship lead, which Lando Norris holds by a single point.

Piastri reflects on a difficult weekend

“It was a tough weekend,” Oscar Piastri said after the race. “Yesterday, after the session, I realized there are a few things I need to change quite significantly in the way I drive. Today I tried to limit the damage but also to learn something. If I’ve made progress, then I can be satisfied.”

The Australian explained that the behavior of the MCL39 and the tires now demands a completely different approach compared to the first part of the season, when he had been dominating the championship. “I’ve had to drive very differently over the last few weekends. It’s strange to accept because I’ve driven the same way all year, but now the car is asking for something different. I’m trying to adapt and figure out how to get the best out of it,” he added.

Championship implications

After his triumph at Zandvoort, Oscar Piastri held a 34-point lead over Norris. That margin has now completely vanished. The Melbourne driver knows that an immediate response is needed to remain in title contention. “Finishing fifth while your teammate wins is certainly not a thrilling result. But if I understand what to change, I’ll be back fighting at the front,” he concluded.