Stella: Missing FP1 hurt Piastri more than delayed floor test in Hungary

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes Oscar Piastri's absence from FP1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix had a greater impact on his weekend than the delayed introduction of the team's new floor upgrade. Piastri ceded his seat to rookie Leonardo Fornaroli in opening practice and ran old-spec hardware in FP2, leaving him with limited preparation time on a tricky, resurfaced Hungaroring.

Why it matters:

Piastri's setback highlights the difficult trade-off teams face between fulfilling rookie running requirements and maximizing preparation for a championship contender. On a weekend where track conditions were already unpredictable due to fresh asphalt and gusty winds, every lost session amplified the challenge of matching a teammate who had the full Friday program.

The details:

• Piastri sat out FP1 to allow rookie runner Leonardo Fornaroli his mandatory appearance, while teammate Lando Norris ran the complete program.
• In FP2, Piastri remained on McLaren's original floor specification as the team evaluated its latest upgrade on Norris' car, meaning Piastri didn't get meaningful track time with the new package until Saturday's FP3 session.
• The Australian, who typically builds pace gradually across a race weekend, admitted the lost track time was more damaging than expected given the Hungaroring's poor surface condition and disruptive winds.
• Piastri's final Q3 lap was compromised when he was impeded by Lewis Hamilton, adding another layer of frustration to a weekend where he felt he was slowly closing the gap to Norris.
• Stella downplayed the floor upgrade as a contributing factor, noting the new component added downforce without altering the car's aero balance, and identified missing FP1 as the primary hindrance to Piastri's rhythm.

What's next:

McLaren intends to maintain its policy of alternating rookie FP1 outings and new-part priority between Piastri and Norris. With Piastri now due the next upgrade priority in Friday practice, the team hopes to avoid a repeat of the Budapest imbalance. However, as the championship battle intensifies, every lost session could prove costly in the tight fight at the front of the grid.