Emerson Fittipaldi does not doubt that Oscar Piastri is an “extremely talented” driver who can win an F1 title, yet the Australian is missing one thing with McLaren in 2026.

Piastri blew two-time Formula 1 champion Fittipaldi away last term as he emerged as a title-contender in the last season of the ground-effect era. But the 25-year-old has struggled this term after F1 introduced new aerodynamics, chassis, tyre and, above all, engine regulations.

After finishing third in the 2025 standings following a late-season collapse, Piastri only ranks seventh in the 2026 standings after 17 of the 23 rounds. McLaren teammate Lando Norris is just sixth in the table, too, however the 2025 champion has taken 201 points to Piastri’s 138.

Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen have scored the most points since round 7/23 in Barcelona 🌟 How will the drivers’ standings finish?

Norris even now leads Piastri 11-6 in their 2026 Grand Prix qualifying head-to-head and 9-8 for Grand Prix results. Also, Norris has two Grand Prix wins and five podiums, as well as one F1 Sprint win from four podiums, plus three pole positions this year. Piastri, in contrast, only has two Grand Prix podiums and one Sprint podium plus a qualifying high of P3 to his name.

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella thinks Piastri must “abandon” his driving style to adapt to the demands of the 2026 F1 regulations cars and get back to his best. The Melbourne native has struggled to find the same performance levels as Norris this year as he does not shine when the rear of their car slides in the corners, whereas the Briton is able to adapt his style.

Fittipaldi puts a lot of Piastri’s plight down to the reduction in downforce with the 2026 cars, as the lesser grip levels separate the drivers who can adapt from those who cannot (like the Australian). So, the Brazilian feels Piastri simply needs “more time” to learn the 2026 F1 cars before he will begin to show the title-winning potential that McLaren witnessed last season.

“I’m sure he is frustrated,” Fittipaldi has told Betway. “He is an extremely talented driver and showed us last season that he has the potential to win a championship. My perception, and I could be wrong, is that this year’s cars are more difficult to drive.

“With less downforce, the cars are more nervous. The hybrid systems and putting the power down make the whole package harder. It separates the drivers, and Oscar just needs more experience. The drivers who adapt fastest to the new rules gain the edge, which is another reason Lewis is showing his talent at Ferrari – he adapted.”

Piastri relished how F1’s ground-effect cars required a precise approach under braking and provided him with a stable platform in the corners last season. The 25-year-old won five of the first nine Grands Prix and reached eight podiums, and he ended the season with seven wins and 16 podiums from 24 races. Yet his late-season struggles let Norris snatch the title.

Norris overturned a 34-point deficit to Piastri after 15 rounds and ultimately beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just two points and McLaren teammate Piastri by 13 to win the 2025 F1 drivers’ title. The Briton punished Piastri’s inability to adapt when the rear of their McLaren started to slide on low-grip circuits, which has been vastly more regular with F1’s 2026 cars.