McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted that Oscar Piastri’s current struggles are down to technical issues rather than a psychological problem.
Piastri finished sixth at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort last weekend, meaning he has now gone almost a full calendar year without winning a Grand Prix. His last victory came at the 2025 Dutch GP, although he did win the Qatar Sprint later that season.
The Australian enjoyed an impressive 2025 campaign, leading the championship for 15 of the 24 races before his form dropped towards the end of the season. He eventually finished third in the championship.
However, Piastri has found it much harder to reproduce that form in 2026. After 12 races, he sits seventh in the standings with 104 points, with second place in Japan his best result so far.
According to Stella, the major issue is the change in the characteristics of the cars this season.
The 2026 cars have significantly less downforce and are less stable at the rear, meaning drivers have to make more corrections while driving. This does not suit Piastri’s naturally smooth driving style as well as the previous generation of ground-effect cars did.
Stella believes Piastri needs to adapt his driving to the characteristics of the new car.
He explained that when grip levels are low, Piastri has to think more about his driving rather than relying purely on instinct. This can cost him valuable tenths of a second.
Despite the difficulties, Stella rejected the idea that Piastri’s struggles are psychological.
“This is purely technical,” the McLaren boss said, stressing that the team is working with the Australian to find further improvements.
There were also issues beyond Piastri’s control during the Dutch GP.
McLaren lost track position to George Russell following a slow pit stop, while Piastri’s hard tyres failed to reach the correct operating temperature during his second stint.
Stella admitted that both areas are things the team needs to improve.
With several teams now separated by just fractions of a second, even small problems can have a major impact on a driver’s finishing position.
Stella was nevertheless encouraged by Piastri’s progress at Zandvoort and believes there is more to come from the 25-year-old as the season continues.
For Piastri, the priority will be finding a way to adapt to the new generation of Formula 1 cars and rediscover the form that saw him emerge as one of the leading drivers in the championship last season.
