Zak Brown believes Oscar Piastri is beginning to rediscover his form after a difficult 2026 Formula 1 season in which the Australian has struggled to adapt to McLaren’s MCL40 and the sport’s new technical regulations. Although Lando Norris has managed to secure two victories, Oscar Piastri has been limited to two podium finishes, both achieved during the opening part of the campaign.
The contrast between the two McLaren drivers has become one of the most significant developments within the British team this year. However, comments made by Zak Brown during the Singapore Grand Prix suggest that McLaren is finally seeing signs of improvement from Oscar Piastri, even as broader concerns about the competitiveness of the MCL40 remain unresolved.
McLaren’s 2026 struggles follow two successful championship seasons
McLaren entered the 2026 Formula 1 season following two consecutive Constructors’ Championship triumphs, ending a title drought that had lasted 26 years. The team’s success was further strengthened in 2025 when Lando Norris secured the Drivers’ World Championship.
However, the current campaign has produced far fewer positive results for the Woking-based organisation.
Despite being powered by a Mercedes engine that has proved every bit as dominant as pre-season expectations suggested, McLaren has performed considerably below its anticipated level.
Several factors have contributed to the team’s difficulties. McLaren has struggled to fully understand and exploit the characteristics of the Mercedes power unit, while the MCL40 has also displayed weaknesses in several areas of its overall performance.
The drivers’ ability to adapt to the new regulations has added another layer to these challenges, with Oscar Piastri appearing to have found the transition particularly difficult.
Oscar Piastri has struggled more than Lando Norris with the 2026 regulations
Comparing the performances of McLaren’s two drivers reveals a clear difference in how effectively they have adapted to the 2026 Formula 1 cars.
Throughout the season, Oscar Piastri has appeared considerably less comfortable than Lando Norris when trying to extract performance from the MCL40.
While the reigning world champion has managed to claim two victories this year, the Australian has recorded just two podium finishes, both of which came during the early stages of the championship.
That difference has highlighted the difficulties Oscar Piastri has encountered in adjusting his driving style to the requirements of the new generation of Formula 1 machinery.
However, McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes the situation is beginning to improve.
Zak Brown believes Oscar Piastri is rediscovering his confidence
Speaking during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, Zak Brown expressed optimism that Oscar Piastri is starting to regain the confidence and performance that previously made him such a strong competitor.
“I think Oscar is getting back to being the driver we knew,” Zak Brown explained.
“These cars have shaken things up a little. Right now, Lewis Hamilton is able to get more out of the Ferrari, whereas last year George Russell was able to extract more performance from the car than Kimi Antonelli, but now those dynamics have changed.”
“Some drivers have adapted a little more quickly than others, but now Oscar feels more confident and has a better understanding of the situation.”
Brown’s assessment highlights how the 2026 technical regulations have altered the competitive balance between drivers, even within the same teams.
Drivers who were previously comfortable extracting the maximum performance from their cars have not necessarily found the transition straightforward, while others have adapted more quickly to the different characteristics of the new machinery.
For McLaren, the encouraging development is that Oscar Piastri appears to be gradually rebuilding the confidence needed to drive the MCL40 more effectively.
Why the new Formula 1 regulations have affected Oscar Piastri’s driving style
Oscar Piastri’s difficulties are closely connected to the way the 2026 regulations have changed the behaviour of Formula 1 cars.
The 25-year-old Australian from Melbourne has struggled to rely on the natural driving instincts that previously served him so well.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has acknowledged that the new regulations have prevented Oscar Piastri from driving the car purely on instinct, forcing him to adopt a more deliberate and adaptable approach.
The Australian himself has confirmed that techniques which worked in previous seasons have become much less effective with the current generation of cars.
“Many of the things that worked for me in the past no longer seem to work this year, so I have to try different approaches,” Oscar Piastri admitted.
“I’m making some progress, but it’s not as simple as finding one direction and discovering that it always works. In the current situation, I have to keep adapting and changing.”
His comments explain why the adaptation process has been particularly demanding. Rather than identifying one driving technique that consistently produces the best results, Oscar Piastri has found himself having to make continuous adjustments.
That uncertainty has made it more difficult to establish the same level of confidence and consistency that characterised his earlier performances.
McLaren MCL40 remains the team’s biggest problem
Although the drivers have played an important role in McLaren’s disappointing 2026 results, the most significant concern remains the MCL40 itself.
The car has struggled in several areas, and its latest upgrades have raised more questions than they have answered.
McLaren’s difficulties therefore cannot be attributed solely to Oscar Piastri’s adaptation problems or the difference in performance between the Australian and Lando Norris.
The team must also address the broader technical limitations of the car, including the challenge of fully exploiting its Mercedes power unit and improving a package that has failed to meet expectations.
While Zak Brown’s comments suggest that Oscar Piastri is beginning to make progress, the situation surrounding the MCL40 remains considerably less encouraging.
McLaren may already be looking towards the 2027 Formula 1 season
The uncertainty surrounding McLaren’s latest upgrades raises the possibility that the team has already begun shifting more of its attention towards next season.
For Oscar Piastri, the immediate objective remains rebuilding confidence and continuing to adapt his driving style to the 2026 regulations.
Zak Brown believes the Australian is moving in the right direction, but McLaren’s wider recovery will depend on more than the performances of its drivers.
With the MCL40 continuing to expose technical limitations and the latest developments failing to deliver clear answers, the team faces important decisions about how much further to pursue improvements during the remainder of 2026 and how strongly to prioritise its preparations for 2027.
Leave a Reply