Oscar Piastri may not have an ideal homecoming next weekend, as McLaren aren’t expected to be front-runners for the Australian Grand Prix.
Lando Norris made a strong start to the 2025 season, taking pole position at the Australian Grand Prix in what would become his championship year.
Piastri also had a great outing, finishing second behind Norris as McLaren secured a one-two finish.
Heading into 2026, Piastri will be hoping to go one better and claim victory in front of his home crowd. But expectations are lower this time around, with McLaren not looking as strong heading into Albert Park.
There was plenty of hope after their early form last season – and even more confidence building throughout 2026 – but so far that’s yet to materialise on track. And even coming into Melbourne there’s little sign that things will change just yet for McLaren fans.
McLaren Aren’t Seen as Front-Runners for 2026 Australian GP
On the Pit Talk podcast, Matt Clayton discussed McLaren’s pre-season testing and where they stand ahead of the opening race.
He explained that while there were no major concerns, their testing performance didn’t stand out like it had in previous years. That’s why they’re not seen as favourites this time around.
“There was nothing to raise too many alarms, but there was nothing that caught too many headlines either. I’m not sure if they’re sitting in that position of ascendancy that they were towards the end of last year and the year before that…”
He added: “It feels to me like a nice platform for McLaren. Maybe unfortunately for Australian fans, I wouldn’t say they’re going to be at their weakest for the season at Albert Park because obviously, there’s a lot to play at.”
“But I don’t think they come in with that expectation that we had last year when you would have been shocked quite frankly if it wasn’t a McLaren that won in Albert Park in 2025.”
“I’m not sure we’re going into next weekend with that same feeling, but they’re going to be in the conversation.”
Oscar Piastri hoping for Australian Grand Prix win despite challenging conditions
While pre-season testing is rarely a clear predictor of how the first race will unfold, there are some questions around McLaren’s form compared to their rivals heading into the new year.
That improvement might come in time for the Australian Grand Prix, as McLaren didn’t run Mercedes’ latest engine spec during testing in Bahrain.
For Oscar Piastri, that could be a welcome boost. The Australian finished second at home last year and will be keen to go one better this time around.
Piastri looks ready to challenge for the title in 2026, and nothing would set the tone better than starting his campaign with a win on home soil.
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