McLaren Analyzes Piastri’s Performance Decline at United States Grand Prix
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella confirmed the team will assess Oscar Piastri’s lack of performance compared to teammate Lando Norris during the United States Grand Prix, where Norris reduced Verstappen’s championship lead to 14 points.
Norris achieved a front-row starting position and demonstrated competitive race pace, ultimately finishing second after a protracted battle with Charles Leclerc. In contrast, Piastri qualified sixth and finished fifth, with a fastest lap nearly a second slower than Norris, indicating significant performance discrepancies.
“This is certainly one of the most important points that we need to review,” said Stella, acknowledging Piastri’s inability to maximize the potential of his car during qualifying and the race. He emphasized the need for a thorough examination of the car’s setup and performance parameters, including the floor configuration, to ensure optimal conditions were met.
Stella further noted that Piastri must improve his adaptability in low-grip situations, suggesting that his driving style needs refinement to better handle understeer and oversteer. “In Oscar’s standards, this means he will improve pretty fast,” Stella stated.
Additionally, Stella suggested that McLaren may have compromised performance by running the car at a slightly elevated ride height, complicating the data-gathering process due to both drivers crashing out during the Sprint. “Simulation can take you only to a certain point; then you need track data to actually go to the last millimeter,” he added, highlighting the challenges of achieving precise setups without prior on-track references.
As McLaren prepares for future races, the focus remains on extracting the maximum performance from both driver and machine.
