Piastri dismisses 'works team' advantage claims
Oscar Piastri rejects the idea that 'works' teams like Red Bull and Ferrari have a built-in edge for 2026, attributing early testing form to preparation, not factory status. He believes McLaren's close ties with Mercedes and its own long development cycle negate any major disadvantage.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri has downplayed suggestions that established 'works' teams like Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes hold an inherent advantage under the new 2026 regulations, despite their strong showing in pre-season testing. The Australian driver argues that a team's ability to capitalize on development time and organization in the past year will be a greater determining factor than its engine manufacturer status.
Why it matters:
The debate over the potential gap between works teams and customer squads is a central narrative as F1 enters a new regulatory cycle. Piastri's perspective challenges the assumption that factory-backed teams will automatically lead the pack, suggesting the competitive order could be more fluid and dependent on execution rather than simply on who builds the power unit.
The details:
- Piastri acknowledged that works teams have advantages, particularly with engine development now back on the table, but emphasized McLaren's "very close relationship" with its supplier, Mercedes HPP.
- He directly linked any early issues McLaren faced in Barcelona testing to general "teething problems," not to its status as a customer team.
- The driver pointed out that while rival teams have had years to integrate the new rules, McLaren has also been deep in that development process for a long time, minimizing any perceived disadvantage.
- The Real Differentiator: Piastri concluded that success will hinge more on "who was able to capitalise in the last 12 months on kind of the aero testing and just getting things organized," shifting the focus to preparation and efficiency.
The big picture:
Piastri's comments arrive as he looks to rebound from a challenging end to the 2025 season. Notably, he has received a vote of confidence from Red Bull's Christian Horner, who backed the "motivated" Australian to improve, citing his relative inexperience and clear potential. This external endorsement, coupled with Piastri's calm rebuttal of the works team narrative, sets the stage for a pivotal season where McLaren aims to prove its concept and operational strength can compete with any team on the grid, regardless of its engine badge.