McLaren has confirmed that it will not replace the chassis of Oscar Piastri’s MCL39. The team believes such a move is unnecessary, both technically and psychologically, and will instead focus on ensuring that every performance-related component — such as the floor and wings — is working as intended. The goal is to help Oscar Piastri regain confidence and return to full competitiveness after a challenging period.
Team principal Andrea Stella had already hinted at this decision following the Mexican Grand Prix, and confirmation has now arrived directly from Woking. The British team never considered changing the Australian driver’s chassis as a way to offer him psychological support, even though Piastri lost the championship lead by a single point to teammate Lando Norris, who claimed victory in Mexico — his 20th race of the season.
Piastri’s manager, Mark Webber, also confirmed that the idea of switching chassis was never discussed ahead of the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix. “It would be an old-fashioned way to deal with things,” a senior McLaren source explained. However, this does not mean that the team led by Stella isn’t taking every possible step to ensure Oscar Piastri can once again showcase the potential he had displayed earlier in the season, before his two crashes in Baku.
Essentially, McLaren does not believe the driver needs psychological support or an excuse related to the car’s condition. Instead, the team’s technical department is conducting thorough checks on all key performance components, such as the floor and the wings, to ensure that everything is functioning perfectly.
The attention to detail remains extremely high. McLaren is determined to identify and address any potential issue, no matter how minor. The papaya-colored car returned to victory in Mexico after a dry spell since the Dutch Grand Prix. During that time, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) had taken three wins and George Russell (Mercedes) one, leading some to speculate that McLaren had halted development too early — a move that seemed to allow Red Bull to mount an unexpected comeback during the summer, just as the team appeared to be imploding after Christian Horner’s departure.
That was not the case. Laurent Mekies played a key role in restoring calm within Red Bull, while Pierre Waché’s technical group rediscovered the balance needed to make the RB21 competitive again, achieving lower ride heights and improved consistency. Yet, Lando Norris’s dominant victory in Mexico — finishing half a minute ahead of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari — proved that McLaren’s MCL39 has lost none of its performance edge.
McLaren has now overcome the circuits that were less favorable to its car, although Las Vegas still looms among the remaining four rounds. The team, already crowned Constructors’ World Champion, looks to Brazil with strong confidence. The goal is to keep both drivers fully in the title fight, ensuring that Oscar Piastri is in the best possible position to challenge again at the front of the grid.
Oscar Piastri struggled during free practice and qualifying in Mexico, but during the race, where he finished fifth, he seemed to regain some of his confidence and motivation behind the wheel of the MCL39. McLaren now expects to see a strong two-pronged attack from its drivers at Interlagos, aiming to extend its advantage over Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and allow Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to battle for the title all the way to Abu Dhabi.
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