Oscar Piastri has admitted that McLaren is currently lacking performance compared with Ferrari and Red Bull, following a difficult period in which the team has struggled to reproduce the competitiveness it demonstrated earlier in the 2026 Formula 1 season. Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, the Australian acknowledged the strength of his rivals while explaining why he is gradually regaining confidence in the MCL40.
After an impressive run of performances between Budapest and Zandvoort, McLaren appeared to have established itself as one of the strongest teams on the grid. Its pace convinced many in the paddock that the MCL40 had become Formula 1’s benchmark car. However, that momentum has since faded, leaving the team chasing Ferrari and Red Bull despite continuing to introduce technical improvements.
The MCL40 has proved increasingly difficult for its drivers to manage during recent race weekends, particularly in terms of confidence and overall performance. Oscar Piastri addressed those challenges during the press conference that opened the Austin weekend, while also reflecting on his collision with teammate Lando Norris during the Singapore Sprint.
Oscar Piastri addresses Lando Norris clash during Singapore Sprint
One of the most significant moments of McLaren’s Singapore weekend came towards the end of the Sprint, when Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris made contact while battling for position.
The incident was especially frustrating for McLaren because it involved both of its drivers and cost the team valuable championship points. Team principal Andrea Stella subsequently made it clear that such situations could not be allowed to happen again.
Reflecting on the collision ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri expressed satisfaction with how the team’s senior management handled the aftermath.
“I’m happy with how Zak and Andrea handled things,” Oscar Piastri said, referring to McLaren CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella.
For the Australian, Austin represents an opportunity to move beyond the Singapore controversy and concentrate on recovering performance. However, the Circuit of The Americas presents its own challenges, particularly because its combination of high-speed and slower corners will test different aspects of the MCL40.
Oscar Piastri explains why McLaren expects another difficult weekend at Austin
Oscar Piastri believes McLaren has generally performed better through high-speed corners during the 2026 season, while slower sections have proved more problematic.
With both types of corner featuring prominently at the Circuit of The Americas, the Australian expects the team to face a demanding weekend, even with new components available.
“I think, in general, we’ve been a little stronger in the high-speed corners this year, whereas we’ve struggled more in the slower ones,” Oscar Piastri explained.
“I think there’s a combination of both here, so everything will be a test for us. We have some new parts on the car which we hope will help a little. In general, though, I think we’re still missing something in terms of performance compared with our direct rivals. Hopefully, we can make use of some of our strengths this weekend.”
McLaren’s technical developments are intended to help the team recover some of the competitiveness it demonstrated earlier in the championship. However, Oscar Piastri’s comments suggest that the Australian does not expect the latest changes alone to eliminate the gap to the leading teams.
Oscar Piastri admits Ferrari was expected to be Singapore’s benchmark
When discussing McLaren’s main rivals, Oscar Piastri singled out Ferrari and Red Bull as the teams that had demonstrated superior performance during the most recent races.
Red Bull’s recovery has been particularly impressive following the introduction of its latest development package at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. According to Oscar Piastri, those upgrades played an important role in the team’s subsequent improvement.
“The upgrades they introduced at Baku were very strong,” Oscar Piastri said of Red Bull.
The Australian also acknowledged Ferrari’s competitiveness at the Singapore Grand Prix, where the Italian team had been expected to perform particularly well.
“I don’t think it was a surprise that Ferrari was very strong in Singapore. We expected them to be the benchmark. Both teams were definitely faster than us. Over the last few weeks, Red Bull has consistently become the fastest car,” Oscar Piastri explained.
His assessment reflects how significantly the competitive order has changed since McLaren’s strongest performances earlier in the season. Ferrari demonstrated the potential of its package at Marina Bay, while Red Bull’s recent developments have helped Max Verstappen and the team establish greater consistency.
The battle between the leading teams remains closely contested, with McLaren now seeking to recover the performance necessary to challenge its rivals. Ferrari has also continued its development programme in Texas, where Charles Leclerc’s pace during Austin FP2 has reinforced the team’s competitive outlook.
Oscar Piastri reveals why adapting to the McLaren MCL40 has been mentally challenging
Despite McLaren’s recent difficulties, Oscar Piastri believes he is making encouraging progress in terms of his confidence behind the wheel.
The Australian has spent much of the 2026 season trying to adapt his driving style to the characteristics of the MCL40. Some of the techniques that helped him perform so effectively in the previous championship have proved less successful with the current generation of Formula 1 cars.
“We’ve tried various things this year, but you can’t fix everything quickly,” Oscar Piastri explained.
“A lot of work has gone into how I adapt to the car. I think certain things that worked really well last year are the same things that have made life a little difficult for me on many weekends this year.”
The Australian admitted that abandoning familiar techniques has been difficult, particularly after previously enjoying success with them.
“It’s always a challenge trying to adapt after you’ve become used to something that works. Moving away from that is, in a sense, a mental challenge as well, but now I feel things are starting to become more comfortable, even though there’s still work to do.”
Those comments offer an insight into why Oscar Piastri’s adjustment to the MCL40 has taken time. Rather than simply searching for more speed, he has also needed to reconsider established driving habits and develop a different approach to extracting performance from the car.
Oscar Piastri sees encouraging progress despite McLaren’s performance deficit
Although Oscar Piastri is not yet satisfied with his overall level of performance, he believes the most recent sequence of three consecutive Grands Prix represented a step in the right direction.
The Australian has gradually improved his understanding of the MCL40 and is becoming more confident about what he needs from the car to perform at his best.
“The last triple-header was definitely much closer to where I want to be,” Oscar Piastri continued.
“I’m certainly not yet at the level I aspire to, but I’m slowly getting closer. I’m also identifying what I need to go faster. There are signs of progress, and that’s exactly what I’m looking for. Over the last few weeks, everything has started working a little better.”
That growing confidence offers McLaren an encouraging sign as the team attempts to recover from its recent decline. Even if the MCL40 has not yet returned to the level required to compete consistently with Ferrari and Red Bull, Oscar Piastri believes his own adaptation is moving in the right direction.
The challenge in Austin will be to translate that improved understanding into a stronger result. With new components available and a circuit featuring a variety of corners, McLaren has an opportunity to evaluate its recent progress while determining how much ground remains to be recovered against its leading rivals.
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