Piastri: I’m having to 'drive the car very differently' since COTA

Piastri outlines difficulties with MCL39

Heading into the Mexican GP, there was discussions about the swing in momentum at the McLaren garage.

After enjoying a marginal edge over Norris until the summer break, Piastri finds himself struggling to match his teammate. In some races, such as Baku and Singapore, it was not performance that was Piastri’s main limitation.

Several mistakes in Baku and a controversial Turn 1 incident in Singapore were the main talking points from the Championship perspective – rather than a fundamental difference in pace.

Of course, raw performance is now a genuine concern for Piastri. Both in COTA and Mexico City, the Australian was nowhere near matching Norris – whether in qualifying or race trim.

To some degree, Max Verstappen’s resurgence helped overshadow the 24-year-old’s dip in form. For understandable reasons, the Dutchman’s return into title contention has been one of the most compelling narratives this season.

The four-time Champion’s victory in Austin, alongside Piastri and Norris making contact in the Sprint Race, took centre stage in media circles and fan discussions.

After last weekend, however, there is a growing spotlight on Oscar Piastri. For the time being, the McLaren driver has no answers for his recent results.

He said as much to the media post-race on Sunday:

“I think the last couple of races has been surprising in terms of the pace… We have some evidence of where the pace is, and what to do. But I’ve got to drive the car very differently these last couple of weekends.

“Which, when it’s been working well for you for the previous 18 [races], is a little bit difficult to kind of wrap your head around.

“We tried a few things today, and we’ll have a look if that’s what we were looking for.”

A chance to reset before the Brazilian GP

On paper, Piastri is obviously still a contender for the Championship. He is only one point behind Norris, a difference that could easily be overturned at the Sprint Race in Brazil – let along the Grand Prix itself.

That said, the issue is not a matter of numbers, but a matter of confidence and performance. Taking the first eighteen rounds as a simple size, both McLaren drivers would have reason to believe they can become Champions.

Based on the last two races, however, Norris has been the clearly stronger driver.  The challenge for Piastri is to prove the last few races are a blip, rather than something that will sustain itself until the season ends.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has suggested that limitations in the Australian’s driving style were exposed in America and Mexico. Stella’s implication was that the final rounds should not see this vulnerability exposed.

Meanwhile, Piastri seems less clear on the explanation his sudden downturn in form – and it is unclear whether this will change at the Brazilian GP, or if a similar lack of pace will persist.