Oscar Piastri has provided a candid analysis of McLaren’s current situation, acknowledging that it will be difficult for the team to close the gap to Mercedes in the short term. The British outfit could hardly have imagined a worse start to the 2026 season. The Australian driver has yet to properly participate in a race, following the incident during the formation laps in Australia and the pre-start issue in China. His teammate experienced a similar fate in Shanghai. Piastri admitted that McLaren is unlikely to recover the deficit to Mercedes quickly.
Despite appearances, McLaren has made some progress between the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix. After the opening round, Andrea Stella had expressed frustration over the lack of information from Mercedes regarding the engine. By the most recent race, however, the team confirmed that it now has a better understanding of how to exploit the Brixworth Power Unit. From this perspective, McLaren has a strong package, but updates to the MCL40 will be necessary to try to get closer to the front of the grid.
Piastri on the gap to Mercedes
McLaren’s goal is to close in on the teams ahead, although Oscar Piastri admits that the gap to Mercedes is not easy to overcome. Andrea Stella confirmed that upgrades targeting race pace will be introduced in Suzuka. The Team Principal believes that a realistic objective is to reach Ferrari, which currently holds an advantage primarily in long runs.
Nevertheless, the Australian driver spoke openly about the team’s position, excluding the two retirements before even starting the Shanghai race: “I think China is quite representative of our situation, basically finding ourselves in a kind of no-man’s land, as the third force,” he said.
Oscar also commented on the upgrades planned for Japan: “I think, hopefully, we will be able to get a bit closer. But I would be surprised if we managed to close the entire deficit. So I think that, while we have understood certain aspects, we also realize there is still a lot of work to do in others,” added the No. 81 driver.
The “no man’s land” Oscar Piastri describes is a frustrating place for a team with title ambitions. However, with a better handle on the Power Unit and a major upgrade package on the horizon, there is a glimmer of hope that the gap to Mercedes might at least start to shrink before the European leg of the season begins. For now, the fans and the team alike must remain patient as McLaren works to solve its early-season puzzles.
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