Oscar Piastri Needs to Stop Overthinking While Driving the McLaren

Pulse Sports Team 14:18 - 16 September 2026

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella believes Oscar Piastri's current deficit to Lando Norris stems from the Australian still "thinking while driving" the car developed under the new Formula 1 regulations.

Piastri's discomfort with the new generation of cars has been evident since the start of the season. Over the previous two years, his strengths lay in maintaining high speed through fast corners and in high-grip conditions. The reduced aerodynamic efficiency and narrower tires mandated by the 2026 regulations have significantly diminished the grip of the new cars, pushing Piastri out of his comfort zone.

This, combined with the peculiarities of the new power units concerning energy deployment and harvesting, has contributed to Piastri's challenging year so far. While he and Norris were incredibly close in 2025, except for the lower-grip races at the end of the season, Norris has a clear advantage this year.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes Oscar Piastri will improve if the team can help him stop "thinking" on track, acknowledging that driving this year's MCL40 doesn't feel like a natural process for the Melbourne-born driver.

"I think with Oscar, we need to qualify better, be closer to podium positions right from the start. In Monza, he was third at the end of qualifying, but somehow we ended up starting sixth due to a penalty. So there are a few circumstances we need to take more control over," Stella began. "We need to perform better and, at the same time, achieve better harmony between Oscar and the MCL40, because Oscar is still driving and thinking. And when you're driving and thinking, things slow down; you're slower as a driver in terms of decision-making, and ultimately, you're slower in terms of lap times."
"So I think the action plan is very clear in terms of what we need to improve, and I expect, as I always say, that we will address this and see a stronger Oscar in the final part [of the year]," the Italian added.