Oscar Piastri has found himself chasing Lando Norris more often than expected in 2026, with McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believing the Australian is yet to fully adapt to the team's new-generation Formula 1 car.
Key Highlights
- Andrea Stella says Piastri is still “thinking and driving” the McLaren MCL40.
- The 2026 regulations have reduced aerodynamic grip and introduced narrower tyres, affecting Piastri's strengths.
- Piastri's Monza race was compromised by a first-corner front-wing incident and a difficult starting position.
- Stella expects McLaren to find a better setup for Piastri and see a stronger performance in the latter part of the season.
Piastri Still Adapting to 2026 F1 Machinery
Piastri's struggles have been noticeable throughout the 2026 season, particularly as the new regulations have changed the characteristics of the cars. The reduced aerodynamic output and narrower tyres have lowered overall grip, moving the MCL40 further away from the conditions where Piastri has traditionally excelled.
The Australian's strengths have been particularly evident in high-speed corners and high-grip conditions, while the new power units also require more management of their charge-and-deploy characteristics. After running closely alongside Norris for much of 2025, Piastri has struggled to maintain the same level of performance this season.
Stella: Piastri Needs to Stop Thinking Behind the Wheel
Stella believes one of the keys to improving Piastri's performance is helping him develop a more natural connection with the MCL40.
“I think with Oscar we need to qualify better, stay closer to the podium finish positions from the start,” Stella said, pointing to execution as another area McLaren needs to improve.
The team principal then highlighted the bigger issue facing Piastri.
“We need to execute better and then at the same time we need to get more in tune between Oscar and the MCL40 because still Oscar is driving and thinking,” Stella explained.
According to Stella, having to consciously think through decisions while driving can slow down a driver's reactions and ultimately cost lap time. McLaren therefore wants Piastri to become more comfortable with the car so his driving becomes more instinctive.
“I expect, like I always say, that we will get on top of that and we will see a stronger Oscar in the final part [of the year],” Stella added.
Front-Wing Damage Compromised Piastri's Monza Race
Piastri's difficult weekend was made worse by contact at the opening corner, where he encountered George Russell's Mercedes and suffered damage to his front wing. The damage reduced the aerodynamic balance of the MCL40, but McLaren decided against changing the wing after assessing the potential tyre impact. Stella said the team had been concerned that the loss of front-end downforce could cause graining on the hard tyres.
However, the hard compound proved durable enough for Piastri to continue without suffering significant graining. He recovered one position after his pitstop by passing Arvid Lindblad, but later became stuck behind Franco Colapinto's Alpine and finished seventh.
“The front wing damage cost Oscar a few units of aero balance,” Stella said.
He added that Piastri's race had already been compromised by losing positions at the start, meaning the damage was not the only factor limiting his result.
McLaren Looking for a Stronger Piastri
Stella believes McLaren has a clear list of areas to address, from qualifying execution and race positioning to helping Piastri feel more comfortable with the MCL40. With the 2026 car demanding a different driving approach, McLaren's ability to close that adaptation gap could be crucial to Piastri's performance as the season enters its final stages.
