Oscar Piastri has not yet shown in the results all the expected evolution in the 2026 Formula 1 season, according to the driver himself. Despite a first half of the season marked by ups and downs, the Australian believes he has made important steps in development.
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Piastri stated that McLaren’s performance was below the level set by the team last year. Without wins in the first eleven rounds, the driver is in seventh place in the drivers’ championship, with 102 points, while the team is in third place in the Constructors’ Championship, with 220 points.
The Australian highlighted that the challenges faced throughout the season ended up contributing to his evolution: “Good results are one thing, but I feel I also learned a lot about how I can improve as a driver, even if the results don’t always show it,” he said. According to him, the learning gained in difficult weekends will be important for the rest of the championship.
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When evaluating McLaren’s campaign, Piastri acknowledged that the team was unable to repeat the level of competitiveness shown in 2025: “It was definitely a first half of the season of ups and downs. Our overall performance level was not exactly where we would like it to be. We came close to some wins and achieved some podiums, which was positive, but we set a very high standard last year,” he said.
Among the most positive moments of the year, Piastri pointed to the Japanese and Miami GPs for the results achieved. However, he especially highlighted the recovery shown at the Austrian GP, when he finished fourth after starting seventh, right after a very difficult weekend at the Barcelona GP: “Barcelona was certainly one of the most complicated weekends of the year. I had to learn a lot and improve a lot, and I felt Austria was a great opportunity to put that learning into practice,” he added.
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