Piastri Confident McLaren Can Challenge Frontrunners in Sepang

Oscar Piastri is optimistic that McLaren can break into the top tier of the pecking order at the Malaysian Grand Prix. After a rocky start to the weekend, the team showed a significant jump in performance during Friday's second practice session, signaling that the MCL40 has the potential to challenge the dominant forces of Red Bull and Ferrari.

Why it matters:

As the 2026 season progresses, the gap between the top four teams has narrowed significantly. McLaren's ability to pivot from a struggling FP1 to a competitive FP2 demonstrates a developmental agility that is crucial for a team aiming to move from "best of the rest" to genuine title contenders. If McLaren can sustain this upward trend, they could disrupt the current hierarchy established by Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

The details:

• Performance Swing: McLaren struggled early in FP1, with Piastri finishing 11th and Lando Norris 12th, indicating the car was slow out of the blocks.
• FP2 Recovery: The team found their rhythm in the second session. Lando Norris climbed to 3rd fastest, trailing the pace-setting Ferrari of Charles Leclerc by a slim 0.137s, while Piastri secured 6th.
• The Competition: The day was headlined by Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who topped the two sessions respectively, with Mercedes also showing strong early pace.
• Strategic Variables: Tire choices were unconventional in FP2 as teams prepared for rain that ultimately never arrived, adding a layer of uncertainty to the raw pace data.

The big picture:

Piastri acknowledges that while Red Bull and Ferrari currently hold the edge, the field is tight. McLaren currently views itself as a "tiny step behind," but the rapid progress made within a single day of practice suggests the team is closing the gap. The focus now shifts to whether this single-lap speed can translate into sustainable long-run race pace.

What's next:

With the baseline pace established, McLaren will focus on optimizing their race trim and understanding the long-run degradation at Sepang. If they can maintain the momentum from FP2, they will be prime candidates to fight for a front-row start in qualifying.