Oscar Piastri endured a challenging qualifying session at the Mexico City Grand Prix, ending the day in eighth place, nearly eight-tenths of a second slower than his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, who secured pole position. The Australian expressed clear disappointment, admitting that his final lap failed to meet his expectations. Despite giving consistent effort through all sessions, Piastri found himself struggling to match Norris’s rhythm, even after productive runs during the practice sessions.
Throughout the weekend, Piastri appeared to lack the same level of comfort and pace his teammate displayed in the MCL39. While Norris missed the opening practice session as rookie Pato O’Ward stepped in, he quickly regained control and set a strong benchmark in later sessions. Piastri, however, couldn’t close the performance gap. His best qualifying attempt left him eighth, though a grid penalty for Carlos Sainz means he will start Sunday’s race from seventh.
Reflecting on his performance, Piastri admitted the session left him unsatisfied. He noted that while his laps felt solid in execution, the times on the clock didn’t reflect that effort. The driver acknowledged that there were still some issues the team needed to analyze, labeling the session “frustrating.” During Q2, a brief scare arose when he reported something “weird” happening with the car at Turn 5, sparking concerns about a potential power unit problem.
Piastri later clarified that the power unit was functioning normally, explaining the issue as a “minor under-delivery” in one corner, not something that persisted. He emphasized that the car’s balance felt relatively stable, even under Mexico City’s high-altitude conditions, which often affect overall vehicle performance. For him, the main problem wasn’t handling or setup—it was simply missing raw lap time compared to the front-runners.
Looking ahead to race day, Piastri remains focused on recovery. He plans to capitalize on the long run to Turn 1 to gain early ground. With only 14 points separating him and Norris in the championship, every opportunity counts. “I’ll aim for a strong start and make the most of the chances ahead,” he said, hoping to turn a disappointing qualifying into a more productive race result on Sunday.
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