Oscar Piastri remains off the pace compared to Lando Norris in Mexican Grand Prix qualifying and admits he doesn’t really understand what is going wrong. After qualifying in Mexico City, the McLaren driver openly acknowledged his inability to explain the lack of performance shown on track.
Piastri struggles in qualifying
The Australian finished eighth, almost six-tenths behind teammate Lando Norris, who secured pole position. Despite experiencing “normal” driving sensations, Oscar Piastri could not translate his confidence behind the wheel into lap time, leaving the team with more questions than answers ahead of the race.
Technical challenges at Hermanos Rodriguez
The technical context of the Mexico City circuit, located at over 2,200 meters above sea level, makes life difficult for everyone: the thin air reduces engine power and alters aerodynamics, making it challenging to interpret data and find the ideal setup.
However, within the McLaren garage, the internal differences remain surprising. Oscar Piastri, who will start seventh after Carlos Sainz’s penalty, struggled from the early stages, narrowly avoiding elimination in Q1 and Q2 before partially finding his rhythm on his first attempt in Q3.
“Everything seems fine, but the speed isn’t there”
The Australian driver did not hide his frustration in post-qualifying interviews: “It was difficult,” Oscar Piastri explained. “Some laps, when it mattered, were not bad. But the lap time just wasn’t there, and we don’t understand why.”
He also clarified a minor issue experienced during the session: “The engine was fine, just a small drop of power in one corner, but nothing serious.”
Looking ahead to the race
Despite the challenges, Piastri remains optimistic: “I will start behind Verstappen, which is a good position to attack. The straight into Turn 1 is long, there will be opportunities, and I will try to take advantage of them.”
With a pace still to be deciphered and a teammate in excellent form, the Mexican Grand Prix represents a crucial test for Piastri to regain the rhythm that has often kept him among the season’s frontrunners.
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