How can Piastri recover from 'anonymous' Madrid weekend?

Oscar Piastri's 2026 season has reached a critical point. Once a title favourite, he has been outclassed by Lando Norris in recent races – his 'painful' P8 in Madrid came while his teammate fought for victory. With McLaren 197 points behind Mercedes, the pressure is off, but the gap between teammates is impossible to ignore.

Why it matters:

Piastri's slump is about more than one bad weekend. After a brilliant first half of 2025, he has spent most of the new regulation cycle as Norris's second driver. If he cannot close the gap, his status as a future champion is at risk.

The details:

• An anonymous weekend: Hinchcliffe called Piastri's Madrid race one of his "most anonymous weekends" – he qualified where he raced and was barely mentioned.
• Norris's extra gear: Since Hungary, Norris has found another level while Piastri hasn't matched his trajectory. "It's kind of been all season long," Hinchcliffe said.
• Car balance: Palmer says Piastri is "not as comfortable sliding the car around as Lando" – last year's car suited him better until low-grip tracks exposed his limitations.
• No championship pressure: Palmer says Piastri can be grateful McLaren aren't fighting for the title, otherwise he'd be viewed the same way as George Russell.

Between the lines:

Palmer's harshest point: apart from half a season last year, Piastri has spent three years as second driver to Lando. The talent is clear, but the consistency is not.

What's next:

Baku is the perfect place to reset – Piastri won there in 2024. But a long-term fix may only come with a winter reset, as every weekend feels like a struggle.