Oscar Piastri's bad luck streak under Brundle's microscope

Oscar Piastri's Hungarian Grand Prix came apart through little fault of his own, giving Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle further evidence that the McLaren driver has spent the best part of a year waiting for a lucky break that never arrives. After snatching the lead at the start and controlling the early running, Piastri lost his victory bid to a collision with Carlos Sainz and a cruel gearbox failure that ended his afternoon.

Why it matters:

Piastri's misfortune is quickly becoming the uncomfortable backdrop to his 2026 season at a time when McLaren has finally produced a race-winning car. Every squandered opportunity hurts more in a tight championship fight, and the Australian desperately needs his luck to turn if he is to convert raw pace into the results his talent deserves.

The details:

• Piastri seized the lead on the opening lap in Hungary and stayed ahead of teammate Lando Norris through the first stint, with the team holding Norris to pit later under its papaya rules.
• Disaster struck during the second pit phase when Piastri attempted to lap Carlos Sainz at Turn 2. Sainz ran wide while battling Fernando Alonso, then swung back across the track and collided with the race leader.
• The contact cost Piastri vital time just as Norris was completing his stop, allowing the Briton to emerge in front. Piastri later retired with a transmission failure, his afternoon complete.
• Brundle argued that Sainz's five-second penalty was scant consolation for Piastri, who had positioned his McLaren on the inside and had nowhere to go when Sainz cut back across.

What's next:

Piastri heads into the summer break understanding that McLaren's latest upgrades have unlocked genuine winning potential, but he remains his own harshest critic. He admitted there is still performance he must extract from the car, yet halting this relentless streak of bad luck may prove just as important as any personal improvement once racing resumes.