Piastri: Mercedes beatable despite 'big gap' after Suzuka

Oscar Piastri believes McLaren can challenge Mercedes this season but admits a "pretty big gap" remains after finishing 15 seconds behind the Silver Arrows' Kimi Antonelli at the Japanese Grand Prix. The Australian secured McLaren's first podium of 2025 with a strong drive, holding off George Russell early on, but was powerless against Antonelli's pace in clean air post-Safety Car.

Why it matters:

Piastri's assessment provides a clear-eyed view of McLaren's current competitive standing. While the team has shown it can execute a perfect weekend and fight wheel-to-wheel, the raw performance deficit to the fastest car remains significant. This honest appraisal sets realistic expectations for the team's development race and highlights the fine margin between fighting for podiums and challenging for wins.

The details:

• Piastri executed a brilliant start at Suzuka, taking the lead and fending off George Russell's Mercedes for the first stint, demonstrating strong racecraft and car performance in traffic.
• The race dynamic shifted dramatically with the Safety Car intervention for Oliver Bearman's crash. Antonelli, who had already pitted, gained a free stop and track position.
• Once in clear air, Antonelli's pace was unmatchable, pulling out a 15-second lead by the checkered flag, underlining Mercedes' superior straight-line speed and overall package.
• Piastri noted the operational challenge, stating, "We know from last year, that even when you have the best car you still need to operate it at an incredibly high level." He found it "interesting" to see Mercedes managing that pressure.
• The Australian was left to wonder about the alternative race scenario without the Safety Car, acknowledging Antonelli's superior pace likely meant victory was out of reach, but wishing he could have battled it out longer.

What's next:

McLaren's focus now turns to bridging that performance gap through upgrades. Piastri expressed confidence the team can get there, referencing their historic mid-season development surges.

• The result proves the MCL40 is a consistent podium contender, but the next step requires finding more pure speed to convert these positions into wins.
• The coming races will test whether McLaren can bring effective updates quickly enough to pressure Mercedes and Ferrari consistently, turning Piastri's belief in their beatability into a tangible on-track reality.