Oscar Piastri: What made me fast last season is now my “downfall”

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has revealed that the traits that once made him a title contender during the 2025 Formula 1 season have now become his greatest weaknesses as he adapts to this year's regulations. Currently sitting seventh in the championship with just 138 points and no wins so far this season, Piastri's team-mate and reigning champion Lando Norris leads the pack with 201 points.

The Australian acknowledged the difficulty in finding his previous form and expressed that the last triple-header was more reassuring but he is still far from the level he aims to reach. Piastri noted that the car changes have been minimal and most of the work has been on himself due to the challenging nature of adapting to the new regulations.

He admitted that relying on the usual strengths has become challenging, both physically and mentally, as he now needs to rely on different aspects of his driving. Despite the progress made, Piastri believes there is still room for improvement, and McLaren is far from finding a magic solution this season. With Red Bull leading the constructors' championship, Piastri and McLaren will be hoping to capitalize on the new-found performance at the Circuit of the Americas.