Oscar Piastri remains resolutely confident that McLaren can engineer another dramatic mid-season resurgence in 2026, despite the current MCL40’s glaring performance deficit.
The Australian ace openly acknowledged the team’s struggles early in the year, conceding they are “under no illusions” about the gap to front-runners Mercedes and Ferrari. Yet, drawing on McLaren’s proven history of turning seasons around, Piastri insists the blueprint for success is clear and repeatable.
The 25-year-old pinpointed the 2023 campaign as a vivid example of McLaren’s ability to defy expectations. After a sluggish start, Piastri and teammate Lando Norris surged into podium contention, setting the stage for the following year’s breakthrough victories. The 2024 season saw the MCL39 evolve into a formidable contender, propelling both drivers into the championship hunt, with Norris clinching the title after a fierce finale showdown against Max Verstappen. This trajectory demonstrated McLaren’s capacity to close the gap against the sport’s elite.
However, the 2026 season has been a stark contrast. Mercedes and Ferrari have surged ahead, accumulating leads of 159 and 87 points respectively in the constructors’ standings. McLaren’s resurgence only began to flicker at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Norris secured a hard-fought maiden win for the year thanks to a comprehensive upgrade package addressing critical weaknesses. Unfortunately, Piastri retired from that race, leaving his personal bid for success unfulfilled for the moment.
“We’re very conscious and aware of where we sit,” Piastri admitted. “We’re under no illusions that we’re lacking some performance, and we really want to chase it. We’ve got good ideas on how we can do it. And I think everybody’s hungry to get back to where we have been and taste that success again.” His candid assessment underlines a pragmatic but ambitious mindset, emphasizing McLaren’s hunger to reclaim competitiveness.
Piastri’s faith in McLaren’s capability to claw back performance is anchored in tangible past achievements. “The past seasons do give me confidence,” he explained. “When you look at the previous experience of what we’ve been able to achieve as a team, and how we’ve been able to make progress through the year, it’s good. In 2023, we were in a much worse position than where we are now, and we were able to really jump up the order to fight for podiums.”
Despite the fierce rivalry that saw Norris emerge world champion, Piastri stressed that their working relationship remains “strong” and “productive.” He described how both drivers continue to collaborate closely with the team to focus relentlessly on car development and results. “The way Lando and I worked together then to try and focus on making the car quick so we could then fight for the results that we wanted hasn’t changed,” he said.
Looking ahead, Piastri highlighted that replicating McLaren’s historic pattern of mid-season improvement is critical to bridging the yawning performance gap to Mercedes and Ferrari. “I feel like for me, I’ve already seen it play out more than once. I think that’s a real strength of the team,” he stated. “Yes, things are different, the cars are different, maybe the way we will make that step will look different. But we’ve made that step before, and I’m confident we can do it again.”
With McLaren’s double crown defenses underway and both drivers hungry to reassert their status, Piastri’s words signal a determined refusal to settle for second-tier status. His belief in the team’s resilience and proven turnaround ability fuels high expectations for a potent comeback as the season unfolds.