Piastri's Podium Finish Shows 'Best Version' of McLaren Rookie

McLaren boss Andrea Stella praises Piastri's strong performance in Japan after early-season struggles.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:50pm

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An abstract, energetic painting featuring a McLaren Formula 1 car surging forward amidst a vibrant blur of neon colors and expressive brushstrokes, capturing the raw power and excitement of motorsports.Piastri's podium finish in Japan showcases the young driver's talent and determination as McLaren looks to regain its championship-winning form.Today in Miami

After failing to start the first two races of the 2026 Formula 1 season, McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri finished second at the Japanese Grand Prix, prompting team boss Andrea Stella to declare it was the 'best version' of the young Australian driver they've seen since he joined the team. Stella believes Piastri's 'steadiness' and 'strength' will now help boost the entire McLaren squad as they look to close the performance gap to the dominant Mercedes team.

Why it matters

Piastri's strong result in Japan comes at a crucial time for McLaren, which has fallen behind Mercedes in the constructors' championship despite using the same power unit. The team is now focused on bringing upgrades to upcoming races to improve the car's performance and give both Piastri and teammate Lando Norris a chance to compete for victories.

The details

After crashing on the way to the grid in Melbourne and suffering a mechanical issue in China, Piastri finally made the starting grid in Japan and finished second, leading him to quip 'it turns out if we start this thing, it's pretty good' as he crossed the finish line. Stella believes the way Piastri turned around his fortunes in Japan was one of his 'strongest' performances since joining F1, showcasing his 'mental strength' and the 'best version' of the young driver.

  • Piastri failed to start the first two grands prix of the 2026 season.
  • Piastri finished second at the Japanese Grand Prix on March 31, 2026.

The players

Oscar Piastri

A rookie driver for the McLaren Formula 1 team who finished second at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix after failing to start the first two races of the season.

Andrea Stella

The team principal of the McLaren Formula 1 team, who praised Piastri's strong performance in Japan as the 'best version' of the young Australian driver they've seen since he joined the team.

Lando Norris

Piastri's teammate at the McLaren Formula 1 team, who the team hopes will also benefit from the upgrades they plan to bring to upcoming races to improve the car's performance.

Mercedes

The dominant Formula 1 team in 2026 that currently leads the constructors' championship, despite McLaren using the same Mercedes power unit.

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What they’re saying

“'Despite Oscar not having started the two main races at the start of the 2026 season, based on what we have seen in testing, in practice, in qualifying, based on his overall attitude and mental strength, I think we have seen the best version of Oscar, the strongest Oscar since he's been in Formula 1.'”

— Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal

“'Well done to Oscar for the way he's been facing this start of the season, and now it's the responsibility of McLaren and the team to offer Lando [Norris] and Oscar once again a car that can compete for victories.'”

— Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal

“'it turns out if we start this thing, it's pretty good'”

— Oscar Piastri

What’s next

McLaren now faces a month-long break to the next race in Miami following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia grands prix, during which time the team will work to bring upgrades to the car to improve its performance and give Piastri and Norris a better chance to compete for victories.

The takeaway

Piastri's strong second-place finish in Japan has provided a much-needed boost for McLaren, which has struggled early in the 2026 season despite its recent constructors' championship success. The team is now focused on closing the performance gap to the dominant Mercedes squad by bringing car upgrades to upcoming races, with the goal of giving both Piastri and Norris a competitive car capable of fighting for wins.