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Oscar Piastri believes Red Bull have joined Mercedes as the benchmark in Formula 1 for the 2026 season, while McLaren are gradually losing ground at the front of the grid.
Red Bull introduced a major upgrade package for their RB22 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, featuring revised sidepods, floor, mirrors, halo, and diffuser. The impact was immediate: in Baku, Max Verstappen charged from eighth on the grid to push George Russell for the win, before the four-time world champion produced a dominant display to take victory in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, McLaren also brought significant updates to their MCL40 in Azerbaijan, including modifications to the sidepods, engine cover, floor, diffuser, rear suspension, and rear wing. However, the British outfit have struggled to maintain their status as consistent frontrunners following Lando Norris's earlier victories at the Hungaroring and Zandvoort.
Team principal Andrea Stella noted that while the new parts are working as expected, they haven't delivered the necessary step forward relative to their main rivals. A late-race lock-up in Baku cost Piastri a podium, while at Sepang, both McLaren drivers failed to break into the top five in either qualifying or the race.
"Mercedes have been very strong all year, and given Baku's long straights, it was no surprise they were so fast. But looking at the straights in Malaysia, it was unexpected that they weren't even quicker," Piastri said. "Red Bull's upgrades from Baku have clearly been massive. Their pace there was somewhat masked by their grid position and Max's engine issues. Had he started at the front, he would have put George under immense pressure throughout the entire race, not just at the end. In Malaysia, the combination of Verstappen and his car was undeniably the fastest on track. The rivals around us are making progress. Ferrari and we are trading places, but Mercedes have always been up there, and over recent weeks, Red Bull have joined them."
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