Oscar Piastri has downplayed concerns that McLaren will be negatively impacted by upcoming Formula One regulation changes, expressing confidence that the team will remain competitive throughout the season.
The FIA is set to implement stricter front wing load tests starting from the Spanish Grand Prix on June 1st. The move is intended to curb excessive wing flexing, following earlier adjustments to rear wing regulations.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently hinted at the potential impact of the new rule, telling Sky Sports, “We have a big regulation change coming at race nine. You know, how is that going to affect the run of play?” He suggested the effects are still uncertain across the grid.
Piastri, however, believes McLaren won’t be significantly affected. With teammate Lando Norris currently leading the championship by a single point over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the Australian driver remains optimistic.
“I’m pretty confident we’ll be strong all year,” Piastri said ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the fourth round of the season. “I don’t think it’ll change too much. I’ve not spoken to the team about it massively, in all honesty, which probably tells you enough about that. Let’s see when we get to Spain, but until then, we’ve got a lot of races to focus on, and I believe we’ll continue to be competitive.”
Coming off a victory in China, following Norris’s win in Australia, Piastri also weighed in on the current performance of Red Bull. While acknowledging Verstappen’s success, he expressed a preference for his current seat at McLaren.
“Clearly the [Red Bull] car looks pretty difficult. We’ve seen that with Liam [Lawson], with Checo [Sergio Perez] last year, and even with Yuki [Tsunoda] in Japan,” he said. “It’s a tough environment, especially when a team has been tailored to suit one driver’s style for nearly a decade.”
Piastri admitted the McLaren isn’t without its challenges, describing it as a car that requires finesse to unlock its full potential. However, he feels right at home with the team’s philosophy and development direction.
“If I had to pick from any of the 10 cars on the grid, I’d still very happily choose ours,” he added.
