Oscar Piastri reveals how he is already ‘trying to forget’ his dramatic retirement during his home race in Melbourne as quickly as possible. According to the Australian, it helps that the Chinese GP is already scheduled for a week later, a race where his team McLaren hopes to take a step closer to leader Mercedes. ‘But I think it will be a similar picture in China as in Melbourne,’ says Piastri.
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For the second time in two years, Oscar Piastri had a dramatic home race. But while the Australian still finished ninth in 2025, a year later he could not even start the Australian GP. Due to a crash during the reconnaissance laps prior to the race, his home race was over before it began. “I was able to put that behind me quite quickly – it is obviously something I am trying to forget,” he said a few days later in China. “It is nice to have another race this weekend and there is still plenty to focus on.”
The McLaren driver, who watched the first race from the sidelines, does not expect his team to perform very differently in China than his teammate’s fifth place in Australia. “I think we have identified quite a few points where we can improve. But most teams will do the latter. That is why I think it will be a similar picture (as in Australia, ed.), but hopefully we can get a little closer.”
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Gap to Mercedes
McLaren has at least learned enough in Melbourne to make steps, Piastri reveals. “I think, especially after qualifying and in the days after, we learned that we did not necessarily get the maximum out of Melbourne. During practice it looked much more optimistic – sometimes even too optimistic, I think – but it was a surprise to us that we lost so much competitiveness from Friday to Saturday. I think we now understand quite well why that is, so we can get closer. We will still have a gap to Mercedes, but I think we have identified many things we can do better.”
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