INDEPENDENT RACING JOURNALISMFacts. Context. Evidence.
GPBeat.comGPBeat.com
THE INDEPENDENT RACING DESK
ENNL
F1 news
F1 / NEWS & CONTEXT
Oscar Piastri

Piastri: McLaren briefly among the quickest cars at Sepang

Archive photograph: Oscar Piastri · 2026-03-15Archive photo · 2026-03-15 · Liauzh · CC BY 4.0

Ahead of Singapore, Piastri recalled a moment when McLaren was among the quickest cars at Sepang; after the race, he said the team had not been quick enough to do much more.

From the GPBeat newsroomPublished · · 1 min

Oscar Piastri said McLaren had been among the quickest cars on track at one point in the Sepang race, even though he finished sixth. He made the assessment during Thursday’s media sessions ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix and pointed to his second stint on hard tyres.

Piastri also said Lando Norris had been quick on soft tyres. McLaren said Piastri returned to hard tyres on lap 33, beginning his second stint on that compound.

Across the weekend as a whole, Motorsport.com assessed McLaren as having the fourth-fastest car; Norris and Piastri qualified sixth and seventh.

After the Sepang race, Piastri said McLaren had not been quick enough to do much more.

Sources 03
  1. SOURCEOscar Piastri exposes the reality behind McLaren’s massive drop in paceMotorsport.com F1
  2. PRIMARY SOURCE“I FELT LIKE I DID A GOOD JOB” - OSCAR TAKES POSITIVES FROM CHALLENGING WEEKENDOP81 reflects on a strong personal performance as McLaren look to bounce back in SingaporeMcLaren F1 · Team statement; interested source
  3. SOURCEWhat was "weird" about McLaren's poor performance at rough SepangMotorsport.com F1