Oscar Piastri: McLaren wants to turn its upgrades into a real threat

Oscar Piastri arrives in Miami with a mix of caution and ambition. Ahead of the Grand Prix, the Australian praised the adjustments made to the technical regulations, while noting that the limitations of this generation of cars won't disappear with a simple tweak to the rules.

For McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, the changes are “a step in the right direction,” particularly in terms of safety and boost management. But he believes the underlying problem will persist until the architecture of the power units is overhauled. In short: speed gaps related to energy recovery and deployment can be mitigated, but not completely eliminated.

Miami also marks an important milestone for McLaren, which is introducing several upgrades. Piastri obviously hopes for a performance gain, though he isn't promising miracles. “It won't be enough to challenge Mercedes this weekend,” he acknowledged, while highlighting the team's positive momentum since Suzuka.

The Florida weekend also offered a historic interlude for the Australian driver, who got behind the wheel of Lewis Hamilton's 2008 world champion McLaren. The naturally aspirated V8, the sound, the mechanical simplicity: Piastri made no secret of his delight. A useful reminder, too, of what modern F1 sometimes seeks to recapture.

On the broader debate surrounding car weight, Piastri offered a clear-eyed perspective. The 30-kilogram reduction achieved this season isn't enough to transform the driving experience. In his view, it would likely take “50 kilograms or more”—perhaps even approaching 100 kilograms—to feel a significant difference. A goal, however, that would be difficult to achieve without a fundamental overhaul of the powertrains…