McLaren driver Oscar Piastri holds a strong belief in the potential of his Formula One team to disrupt the dominance of reigning champions Red Bull and secure victories in grands prix as soon as 2025.
Ever since the implementation of F1’s current technical regulations in 2022, Red Bull has emerged as the undisputed powerhouse, clinching every available title and triumphing in 42 out of 49 grands prix, with their sole loss in 2023 occurring at the Singapore Grand Prix.
In the ongoing season, Max Verstappen, a three-time world champion, has asserted his dominance by claiming victory in four out of five races, the exception being the Australian Grand Prix, where Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz emerged victorious.
Despite Red Bull’s formidable performance, the landscape of the sport remains relatively stable until 2026, with minimal changes anticipated in the regulations.
Despite prevailing sentiments within the F1 paddock suggesting that challenging Red Bull’s supremacy would be a daunting task until 2026, Piastri remains optimistic about McLaren’s prospects.
He contends that the chasing pack has significantly narrowed the gap with Red Bull in the current campaign compared to 2023. Piastri expressed his optimism, stating, “I think wins can be achieved before (2026),” during an interview with Xinhua.
“Even though Red Bull are still a step ahead of everybody, I think we are getting closer.
“If you look at Japan, last year I qualified second, half a second behind Max, and this year I was about half a second behind and I was sixth, so I feel like everybody is getting closer.”
However, the 23-year-old driver expressed caution, acknowledging that there is still significant work ahead to catch up to Red Bull’s level of performance.
“We still have a bit of a step to make, but I think everybody is optimistic that we can try and catch them, potentially this year, and really try to mount a challenge next season,” he stated.
“2026 will be a very big reset for everybody, but there is genuine belief at McLaren that we can win races before those regulations come in.”
Piastri shared his thoughts with Xinhua ahead of the recent Chinese Grand Prix, where he secured an eighth-place finish. However, his teammate Lando Norris showcased McLaren’s potential by securing the team’s best result of 2024, claiming second place and splitting the Red Bulls.
In the first half of 2023, McLaren faced significant challenges, with Norris and Piastri only accumulating 29 points collectively in the initial nine races of the season.
However, a series of updates introduced during the mid-season transformed the competitiveness of the MCL60. From Round 10 onwards, the duo amassed an impressive 273 points, securing nine podium finishes. Piastri notably clinched victory in the Qatar sprint event amidst this resurgence.
Despite their improved performance, McLaren concluded the season in fourth place, trailing behind Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari.
Piastri reflected on McLaren’s progress, stating, “The start of this season has been a much better starting point than the start of last year, and we’re optimistic that we’ve been able to show the development we showed last year.”
