Oscar Piastri starts the new F1 season full of confidence. The McLaren driver finished third in the championship last year, just thirteen points off the title, after leading the standings for a long time. A dip in form in the second half of the season fueled speculation about an alleged preference within McLaren for teammate Lando Norris. Piastri firmly denies this and emphasizes that his bond with the team management is stronger than ever.
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In the run-up to the opening race in Melbourne – also his home race – the young Australian was asked about his position within the team. “My relationship with Zak (Brown, ed.) is very good and has only grown stronger as we have known each other longer,” he replied. “He is a nice guy and it is pleasant to have him around. He and Andrea (Stella, ed.) each have a very different style, but that is exactly what works well together. As a team, we had difficult moments last year – as every team does – but I think our mutual relationships have only become closer because of it.”
Papaya rules
McLaren will also stick to the so-called papaya rules in 2026, which dictate that both drivers are free to race within the team framework. Piastri makes it clear that he does not intend to escalate the duel with Norris at the expense of the collective. “We always race in the interest of the team,” Piastri said. “But we also have the freedom to go for our own results. Maybe we haven’t always made the perfect decisions, but there were never any bad intentions behind them. We have learned from that and now know better what we can do differently.”
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“In any case, I have nothing more to prove,” continued Piastri, who led the championship for a long time last year and won seven Grands Prix. “I’m certainly not going to play the rebel. That’s the fastest way to lose a title fight. We have evaluated and worked on points that need to be better this season.” Traditionally, his season begins in Melbourne, where he has not yet finished higher than fourth. “Every driver wants to win their home race, and that goes for me too,” Piastri concluded. “But there is always a certain uncertainty at the first race of the year. I would love to win here, although we first have to wait and see if the car is good enough for that.”
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