McLaren’s Piastri Targets Small Tweaks to Close 0.7s Gap to Teammate Norris

Piastri plays catch-up after missing FP1 in Abu Dhabi

Oscar Piastri found himself playing catch-up at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after missing the first practice session, ending the day just outside the top ten in eleventh place.

The Australian had to hand over his McLaren to reserve driver Pato O’Ward for FP1, putting him at a disadvantage compared to his championship rivals right from the start of the weekend.

“A shorter day for me today, but lots of learning in FP2,” Piastri explained. “The car was in a good window, we just need to make a few tweaks overnight.”

Despite limited track time, he remained optimistic about his chances heading into qualifying.

“I was finding my feet towards the end, so we’ll review overnight and head into Quali day in a strong position.”

When asked about what needed improvement, Piastri kept it simple.

“I think it’s more just little details. The car feels like it’s in a pretty decent place, just didn’t get the grip out of it in that first soft lap.”

He wasn’t overly concerned about the issues. “Some small tweaks, of course. Didn’t feel perfect out there, but nothing major.”

The timing couldn’t be more challenging for the young driver, as he’s locked in a tight championship battle requiring every minute of practice possible.

Despite jumping straight into FP2, Piastri couldn’t match the pace of teammate Lando Norris or rival Max Verstappen. His lap times on the soft tires weren’t competitive enough, and his race pace simulation also lagged behind the frontrunners.

## Brown softens stance on team orders for title showdown

Meanwhile, McLaren boss Zak Brown has eased his previously strict no-team-orders policy as the championship reaches its climax.

This marks a significant shift from last month when Brown boldly claimed he’d rather see both his drivers lose the title to someone else—similar to 2007 when Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton‘s battle allowed Kimi Räikkönen to snatch the championship.

Brown has now clarified that team orders would be implemented, but only if it becomes clear that one McLaren driver is no longer in contention for the title.

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