Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Oscar Piastri has called for answers from McLaren after the team’s performance deficit to Mercedes became clear during Sprint Qualifying for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. The Australian will start the sprint race from fifth on the grid, over seven-tenths of a second behind pole position.
Sprint pole was secured by George Russell, while team-mate Kimi Antonelli completed a Mercedes front-row lockout. The result further underlined the German manufacturer’s strong early-season form following its competitive showing at the opening round in Australia.
Lap time analysis revealed that most of Piastri’s deficit came in the final sector of the Shanghai International Circuit. The section includes the long banked Turns 12 and 13, followed by the 1.2-kilometre back straight leading into the heavy braking zone of Turn 14 before the final fast left-hand corner.
Despite the gap, Piastri said the overall feeling from the McLaren package during the session was positive. The car delivered consistent grip and balance, particularly through the opening sector where McLaren appeared more competitive relative to its rivals.
“It was reasonable, and I think the step in grip from the medium to the soft was pretty big,” Piastri said after the session.
“But obviously the gap to Mercedes is pretty impressive, so there are some things for us to work on.”
The Australian driver noted that McLaren lost approximately six-tenths of a second in the final sector alone, highlighting the importance of analysing that part of the circuit to understand where time is being lost relative to Mercedes.
“The car felt pretty good and it was a pretty decent lap. In Sector 1 we seemed strong, but losing six-tenths in the final sector is impressive, so we will go and look at where we are losing the time,” he explained.
The 19-lap sprint race in Shanghai will present the first opportunity for Oscar Piastri to score points in the 2026 season after a difficult start at the Australian Grand Prix. The result will also provide a clearer picture of the competitive balance between McLaren and Mercedes as the championship progresses.
Source: RacingNews365, official media comments from Oscar Piastri during the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix weekend.
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