Oscar Piastri believes McLaren can play a leading role in Hungary, despite a complicated first day and a car still without the latest upgrades.
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Oscar Piastri did not have an ideal Friday at the Hungaroring. The Australian had to hand over his McLaren to Leonardo Fornaroli during FP1, in accordance with the regulations requiring sessions reserved for young drivers.
Back behind the wheel for FP2, the championship leader quickly had to contend with particularly tricky track conditions. Between strong gusts of wind and the low grip level of the new surface, the session proved more complicated than expected.
Eighth in the second session, nearly nine tenths behind his teammate Lando Norris, Piastri nevertheless believes that this ranking does not truly reflect his potential for the rest of the weekend.
Particularly Tricky Track Conditions
The McLaren driver did not hide that the Hungaroring had proven particularly demanding during this first day of testing.
“It was really very complicated. The track conditions were particularly difficult, with a lot of wind.”
According to him, the new surface installed on part of the circuit still lacks grip and already shows signs of wear, which considerably complicates driving.
“The new sections of the track offer very little grip and are already very worn. This makes the circuit really difficult to drive currently.”
Piastri also acknowledges that his absence from the first session did not help him quickly find the right rhythm.
“Missing a practice session obviously made things even more complicated.”
Upgrades Finally Arrive on His Car
Unlike Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri did not yet have the new upgrades introduced by McLaren in Hungary. Engineers chose to equip only one car on Friday to more precisely evaluate their effectiveness.
The Australian is nevertheless reassured by the initial feedback obtained thanks to his teammate, whose car seemed to meet the team’s expectations.
“I didn’t have them today. On Lando’s car, they seem to be working as we hoped, which is good news.”
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Piastri nevertheless emphasizes that he did not expect a radical transformation of the MCL40.
“I don’t think they completely changed the car. We didn’t expect that, although it would obviously have been nice.”
The Australian driver is set to receive this new package for Saturday.
“We’ll see what it’s like on my car tomorrow and I hope we have a good day.”
Ferrari Impresses, But Everything Remains Open
Like several of his rivals, Piastri was impressed by Ferrari’s performance throughout the day. Charles Leclerc and then Lewis Hamilton dominated both free practice sessions.
He nevertheless believes that McLaren is close enough to join the fight, especially thanks to the pace shown by Norris during FP2.
“The Ferraris looked very fast in both sessions, but I think Lando was also very competitive, especially in the second one.”
On the other hand, the McLaren driver admits having more difficulty placing Mercedes in the current hierarchy.
“Mercedes is very difficult to evaluate. Let’s wait and see what happens tomorrow.”
A Great Opportunity to Seize
Despite a far from perfect first day, Oscar Piastri remains convinced that McLaren can aim for an excellent result this weekend on a circuit where he secured his first Formula 1 victory in 2024.
According to him, the gaps between the top teams are still small enough for qualifying to play a decisive role in the fight for pole position and victory.
“If we have a good day, I think there’s really a lot to gain this weekend.”
With the latest upgrades finally fitted to his car and a better understanding of the track’s behavior, Piastri now hopes to transform this first day of learning into a real opportunity during qualifying.
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