McLaren: Piastri's Spa Gap to Norris Down to Power Unit Algorithms, Not Driving

McLaren says Oscar Piastri's two-tenth qualifying deficit to Lando Norris at Spa-Francorchamps had nothing to do with the Australian's driving. Team principal Andrea Stella attributed the gap almost entirely to minor deviations in how the Mercedes power unit software deployed electrical energy on his best lap.

Why it matters:

The issue underscores a growing frustration with Formula 1's 2026 regulations. Drivers are finding lap times increasingly dictated by machine-learning algorithms controlling energy deployment, rather than their own skill behind the wheel. With power units making live calculations based on previous runs, even small disruptions can cascade into significant straight-line speed losses that teams struggle to predict.

The Details:

• Stella pinpointed Piastri's losses to the straight between Stavelot and the Bus Stop Chicane, where the car entered its derating phase and ran out of electric energy sooner than expected.
• He noted a mirror scenario at Mercedes, where George Russell lost similar time to teammate Kimi Antonelli despite identical machinery, suggesting the problem spans both customer and works teams.
• Piastri's Friday hydraulic leak and a gravel kick on his first Q3 run likely disrupted the power unit's learning cycle, penalizing him on his final attempt through no fault of his own.
• The unpredictable energy deployment is also altering braking points, as varying harvest levels change approach speeds and force drivers to constantly recalibrate their cornering references.

What's next:

Spa's high-speed layout exposed the most extreme consequences of the 2026 rules, where limited braking zones restrict harvesting opportunities and magnify algorithmic inconsistencies. With next weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix offering a stop-start layout with more natural battery regeneration, drivers are hoping for more predictable power unit behavior that places greater emphasis back on driving talent rather than software management.