Zak Brown Sees Oscar Piastri Regaining His Confidence at McLaren

McLaren CEO Zak Brown is feeling reassured that Oscar Piastri is showing signs of returning to his former self after a rocky beginning to the 2026 season. Piastri, who finished third in the Drivers' Championship last year, has found it difficult to consistently deliver performance with the new MCL40. Despite managing two podium finishes, he's struggled to keep pace with teammate Lando Norris, who has outperformed him with two wins and a better qualifying record in 11 out of the 17 races so far.

Brown expressed his optimism about Piastri's progress during a press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix, noting that the 25-year-old seems to be regaining his confidence. "I think he is," Brown said when asked if Piastri was getting back to his previous form. Brown acknowledged the complexity of the new cars, which has shuffled the field and required drivers to adapt quickly. "Some have adapted a little bit quicker than others, but I’m liking what I’m seeing out of Oscar," he added.

The Australian's main challenge this season has been adjusting his driving style to suit the MCL40, a task that hasn't been straightforward. McLaren's Team Principal Andrea Stella highlighted that Piastri couldn't rely on instinct alone in certain conditions. Piastri himself admitted that finding solutions has been a challenge, but he credited the team for their support in helping him adapt. "A lot of the things that have worked for me previously don’t really seem to work this year," Piastri explained, emphasizing the need for constant adaptation.

The season has had its ups and downs for Piastri. At the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, he finished sixth, although an ill-fated tire strategy in wet conditions forced an early pit stop. Despite the result, Piastri was encouraged by his performance, even as he acknowledged McLaren's need to close the gap with rivals.

At Singapore, Piastri ended up fifth despite a weekend filled with incidents, including a collision with Norris and a slow puncture. Reflecting on his performance, Piastri noted that while their pace wasn't enough to challenge frontrunners like Verstappen and Leclerc, the result was reasonable.

As the season heads into its final stages, Zak Brown remains hopeful. "The target is to come into every weekend with the chance to win," he stated, recognizing the competitiveness of the grid and the challenge of maintaining an edge. McLaren aims to capitalize on their recent progress, though Brown admits it's easier said than done.