Identifies Oscar Piastri comfort and qualifying as priority weaknesses
Stella singled out driver-car compatibility and qualifying laps as two specific areas McLaren will focus on to get more consistent results from Piastri in the remaining races.
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Stella said Piastri needs the car to feel more natural so he can react instinctively rather than ‘drive and think’.
Team analysis indicates Piastri has required more conscious adjustment to the 2026 package compared with teammates.
Piastri himself acknowledged he has experimented with different approaches to find a suitable driving style.
Stella identified qualifying better and starting closer to podium positions as immediate targets.
The team will work to reduce incidents that drop grid positions relative to qualifying results.
McLaren expects the targeted changes and driver adaptation to translate into stronger results in the final part of the season.