Piastri Seeks Consistency After Shaky Mexico GP Start

Oscar Piastri's Mexico Grand Prix weekend began with an inconsistent showing, raising questions about McLaren's single-lap pace and Piastri's recent form. While he finished fourth in FP1, he dropped to twelfth in FP2, trailing Max Verstappen by eight-tenths of a second. This follows a challenging weekend in Austin, highlighting a need for greater consistency.

Why it matters:

• Piastri's lead in the championship standings is narrowing, with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris closing in.
• McLaren's struggle with single-lap performance could jeopardize their ability to challenge Red Bull, especially crucial in qualifying for track position.
• The psychological pressure on Piastri is mounting as the title fight intensifies, as noted by former world champion Jacques Villeneuve.

The details:

• FP1/FP2 Performance: Piastri was P4 in FP1 but dropped to P12 in FP2, while teammate Lando Norris, who sat out FP1, secured P4 in FP2.
• Teammate Comparison: Norris was only two-tenths off Verstappen's pace in FP2, suggesting the car has potential that Piastri is currently not extracting consistently on a single lap.
• Austin Challenges: Piastri had a 'scrappy' weekend in Austin, failing to finish the Sprint and only managing fifth in the Grand Prix, with McLaren identifying several 'small issues' that cumulatively affected performance.
• Piastri's View: He described his low-fuel soft-tire lap in FP2 as 'pretty average' and is focused on making the car 'a bit more consistent'.
• Villeneuve's Critique: Jacques Villeneuve expressed concern over Piastri's 'messy' driving since Baku, suggesting it's impacting his performance and could lead to psychological pressure.
• Norris's Concerns: Norris echoed concerns about the car's 'all over the place' balance, specifically on single-lap runs, indicating a team-wide issue with qualifying pace.

The big picture:

McLaren has shown strong race pace throughout the season, but their qualifying performance has been a recurring concern. In a championship fight where every point counts, starting positions are critical, especially on circuits like Mexico City where overtaking can be challenging. Resolving these single-lap issues will be paramount for Piastri to maintain his championship lead and for McLaren to genuinely challenge Red Bull.

What's next:

• Both Piastri and Norris will be focused on fine-tuning the car for qualifying to improve single-lap consistency and outright pace.
• The team will analyze the data from Friday's sessions to address the balance issues and find solutions for Saturday's crucial qualifying.
• Piastri will need to demonstrate resilience and adapt quickly to the car's behavior to fend off the challenge from Verstappen and Norris and consolidate his championship lead.