Piastri tops FP2 in Melbourne but urges caution

Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in Friday's second practice session for the Australian Grand Prix, but the McLaren driver was quick to temper expectations for the rest of the weekend. After an FP1 disrupted by power issues, Piastri's clean run in FP2 allowed him to start understanding Formula 1's new-generation cars, though he and the team believe the competitive order remains highly fluid.

Why it matters:

The 2026 season introduces radically new car regulations, making early practice sessions less about raw pace and more about teams learning and adapting. Piastri's table-topping time in front of his home crowd is a positive sign for McLaren, but his immediate caution highlights that consistency and car setup are the true challenges at this stage, with significant performance steps expected overnight.

The details:

• Piastri's fastest lap of 1m19.729s in FP2 edged out the Mercedes cars of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
• His running was compromised in FP1, where he reported having "no power," preventing any representative laps.
• The Australian driver emphasized the session was about building consistency and learning the new car's behavior, stating, "There are just so many things to get to grips with."
• McLaren Chief Designer Rob Marshall confirmed the team did not "hit the ground running" and that dialing in the new cars and mastering their complex energy management is "very tricky" for everyone.

What's next:

All eyes are on Saturday's final practice and qualifying to see which teams have made the biggest step overnight. Piastri hopes to be fighting for the front rows but remains unsure of McLaren's race pace. With teams still on a steep learning curve, the true competitive picture for the Australian Grand Prix will only come into focus as the weekend progresses.