Brown sees Piastri gaining confidence after difficult 2026 start

McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes Oscar Piastri is regaining confidence after a difficult start to the 2026 season, even as the Australian has struggled to match teammate Lando Norris consistently.

Asked at Friday’s Singapore Grand Prix press conference whether Piastri was returning to the driver he knew, Brown said he thought so. He added: “He’s feeling more confident and on top of things. I like where both our drivers are now.”

Piastri finished third in the 2025 Drivers’ Championship. In 2026, he had two podiums, while Norris had won twice and outqualified him at 11 of the 17 rounds so far.

Piastri’s difficulties have largely centred on adapting his natural driving style to the MCL40. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella had previously said the Australian could not rely on pure instinct in certain conditions. Ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Piastri said many things that had worked for him before no longer did and that he had to keep adapting.

Brown made those comments before the Singapore race. Piastri finished fifth on Sunday after a slow puncture forced an unscheduled pit stop; he had already retired from Saturday’s Sprint following a last-lap collision with Norris. After passing Lewis Hamilton on the Grand Prix’s final lap, Piastri said McLaren did not have enough pace.