Heading into Bahrain, McLaren had set its sights on battling Mercedes and Ferrari, but a botched tyre call and sluggish pace left Piastri scraping only sixth at Sepang.
Trailing Mercedes by 240 points in the Constructors’ standings, the team feels the heat before Singapore.
McLaren’s set‑up window struggle
In Thursday’s Marina Bay media day, Piastri was asked whether Malaysia’s abrasive surface crippled the MCL40’s aerodynamics. Although 2026 rules flatten floors to dull ride‑height sensitivity, the Aussie stressed grip still matters.
“It’s always tricky, especially with older spec cars. Track roughness or smoothness makes a huge impact,” he told reporters. “It will still affect this year’s machines.”
Oscar Piastri – McLaren
He stopped short of blaming Sepang’s tarmac for the 0.733‑second average deficit to the leaders.
“I don’t think that’s the whole story,” Piastri said. “We expected more in Malaysia, so it’s a mix of factors.”
Flashes of brilliance
Despite the struggle, the MCL40 can be blisteringly quick when engineers nail the setup.
“At moments we were the fastest,” Piastri recalled. “My second hard stint was quick, and Lando’s soft tyre was as well. We topped the charts briefly.”
Consistency remains the Woking crew’s Achilles’ heel.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren; Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
“If we hit the right window the car rockets,” Piastri noted. “But we’ve missed it most of the past two weekends. For my money, fixing the set‑up window will restore McLaren’s competitiveness.”
Singapore’s smooth streets pose a different engineering puzzle, and Piastri hopes the team can finally hit its sweet spot without battling harsh grip.
“We aim to simplify things this weekend,” he concluded. “The track and surface differ, yet Malaysia’s low grip certainly held us back.”
Photos from F1 Singapore GP – Friday
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– The Team