Stella reveals McLaren's 'clear agenda' to unlock Piastri

Oscar Piastri's form slump with McLaren has been diagnosed as a surprisingly fundamental problem: the Australian is still thinking his way through corners instead of driving on instinct. Team principal Andrea Stella has revealed a "clear agenda" to bring the nine-time Grand Prix winner back into harmony with the MCL40.

Why it matters:

Piastri was expected to be fighting at the front alongside Lando Norris in 2026, but the new regulations have shifted car characteristics away from his strengths. Reduced aero grip, narrower tyres and different power unit demands have made the MCL40 less intuitive for him — and with McLaren needing both drivers firing, unlocking Piastri's natural speed is critical to their campaign.

The details:

• Stella's blunt diagnosis: "Oscar is driving and thinking. When you drive and think, things get slowed down."
• The 25-year-old has adapted more slowly than Norris to the new-generation machinery.
• In Madrid, an impeding penalty dropped him from third to sixth, before front wing damage from contact with George Russell at the first corner further compromised his race.
• The hard tyres held up despite the lost front-end downforce, avoiding the graining McLaren had feared.
• Piastri recovered to seventh behind Franco Colapinto's Alpine.

What's next:

Stella is confident the fix is achievable. Once Piastri becomes more instinctive with the MCL40, his underlying ability should resurface. The agenda is clear: eliminate operational errors, give him a cleaner platform, and expect a stronger Oscar in the season's closing stages.