Piastri says McLaren’s Barcelona‑spec MCL40 would have left them mid‑pack or worse

Oscar Piastri admitted McLaren isn’t the outright favourite for the season‑opening Australian Grand Prix, and that the team would have been “mid‑field or at the back” if they had turned up in Melbourne with the car they ran on day one of pre‑season testing.

Why it matters:

• Defending champions – McLaren entered 2026 as constructors’ champions and will be judged on whether they can defend that status.
• Development race – The new 2026 regulations have accelerated in‑season upgrades; a car that improves dramatically from testing to race‑weekend can dictate the championship narrative.
• Competitive hierarchy – Mercedes and Ferrari are widely tipped as the season’s front‑runners. McLaren’s ability to stay in the top‑four will shape the fight for podiums and points.

The details:

• The MCL40 showed strong pace in Barcelona testing, convincing many that McLaren could contest the front‑row.
• Piastri and teammate Lando Norris each logged seven wins in 2025, matching the team’s title‑winning season.
• Piastri highlighted the “massive gains” the car made over six days of testing, noting that without that progress the team would have been a midfield runner.
• McLaren chief executive Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella have both described Mercedes and Ferrari as a “step ahead,” with Red Bull and McLaren locked in a close battle for the remaining top spots.
• The team’s strength has traditionally been rapid in‑season development, a factor that could close the gap to the front‑runners as the calendar progresses.

What’s next:

• Melbourne – The Australian GP will be the first real test of how quickly McLaren can convert testing gains into race pace.
• Development focus – Engineers will prioritize aerodynamic refinements and power‑unit integration to keep the MCL40 competitive on diverse circuits.
• Championship outlook – If the development trajectory holds, McLaren aims to solidify a top‑four finish and challenge for podiums, but the season will be defined by how fast they can narrow the gap to Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.