Piastri Says McLaren In The Mix For 2026 F1 Rules Era, Not Where We Were In 2025

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Oscar Piastri expects the opening Australian Grand Prix to matter less than long-term development in deciding the 2026 Formula One championship, warning that early pace may not match eventual success as McLaren adjusts to sweeping rule changes at Albert Park and across the season.

The 2026 campaign starts under a major regulation reset, with new specifications for engines, chassis, tyres and fuel reshaping the grid. Pre-season testing finished in Bahrain with teams still learning the new cars, and attention now turns to how these changes translate to race conditions in Melbourne.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has already accepted that Mercedes and Ferrari appear ahead of McLaren after testing. McLaren enter the year as two-time defending constructors’ champions, while Lando Norris arrives as reigning drivers’ champion after launching the 2025 title charge with victory at the Australian Grand Prix.

Piastri offered a realistic but calm assessment of McLaren’s current position. "I think we’re in the mix at the moment," Piastri told Sky Sports F1 on the eve of the Australian Grand Prix. "We’ll find out for sure soon enough, but I don’t think we’re quite in the position we were 12 months ago where we felt like we were the strongest.

"I think this season is not going to be won by who’s quickest, or who’s the best, at the first race. There’s going to be a lot of development, a lot of learning, especially for us as drivers. And whoever can get on top of that the quickest in what is a very long season is going to end up on top in the long run."

No Australian driver has taken a win, podium or pole position at the Australian Grand Prix in Formula One history. Piastri wants to end that record at a home event which proved frustrating in 2025, when changing grip levels caught out both McLaren drivers.

During that 2025 Australian Grand Prix, Piastri and Norris both spun in slippery conditions at Albert Park. Piastri dropped as far as 13th before recovering to finish ninth, missing a chance to fight near the front despite McLaren’s strong overall pace across that season.

Piastri already holds nine Formula One race wins, seven of which came in 2025. That campaign ended with Piastri third in the drivers’ standings, behind Norris and Max Verstappen of Red Bull. A win in Melbourne would give Piastri 10 victories, matching double figures achieved by Jack Brabham and Alan Jones.

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Piastri believes McLaren can respond even if the Australian Grand Prix exposes a small early deficit. "I think every time there’s a regulation reset there are a few pathways you can go down, and I think we’ve probably seen a few teams go down different pathways," Piastri said. "So it’s going to be interesting to see which one ends up being the best.

"If there’s one thing I do know, it’s just how competent our team is and especially our engineering team. We’ve shown over the last two or three years just how quickly we can get things back on track and how quickly we can turn things around. So I think, no matter what rules we get thrown at us, I think we’ll get there."