Piastri Labels Mexico FP2 Lap “Average”: Aims for More Consistent Saturday
Oscar Piastri had the kind of Friday in Mexico City that makes you want to hit the reset button. The Australian wrapped up Free Practice 2 down in P12, a full eight-tenths off Max Verstappen’s blistering pace, and he wasn’t shy about calling his performance what it was: pretty average. It’s not the start Piastri was hoping for at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, especially with the championship battle heating up and McLaren needing every point they can squeeze out of this critical phase of the season.
While teammate Lando Norris handed his car over to Pato O’Ward for FP1, Piastri was straight into action and managed a respectable P4 in the opening session. But when it mattered in FP2, when the soft tyres went on and the pressure mounted, things didn’t click.
What Went Wrong for Piastri in FP2?
Speaking candidly after climbing out of the cockpit, Piastri didn’t sugarcoat it. “The lap on softs and low fuel was pretty average, so I’m not surprised with the lap time,” he admitted. It’s the kind of honest self-assessment that’s become trademark Piastri—no excuses, just facts. The 24-year-old acknowledged that McLaren threw plenty at the wall during the session, experimenting with different setups and approaches.
Some things worked. Others didn’t. Now it’s about sifting through the data and figuring out what needs to change before Saturday’s crucial qualifying session.”We tried a lot of things, we’ll go through and have a look at what worked, what didn’t, but overall I felt reasonable,” Piastri explained. “We’ll see what we can tune up for tomorrow and try and make things just a bit more consistent is the biggest thing.”
Consistency. That’s the word that keeps coming up, and it’s what’s been missing for Piastri lately. Austin was a nightmare—a DNF in the Sprint after a chaotic Lap 1 incident, followed by a disappointing P5 finish in the Grand Prix. At the same time, Verstappen took victory and closed the championship gap even further. It’s been a rough couple of weeks, and Mexico was supposed to be a chance to bounce back.
Lessons from Austin Still Fresh
The good news? McLaren hasn’t been sitting around wondering what went wrong in Texas. Piastri confirmed that the team has identified several areas where they lost time at the Circuit of the Americas. While no single issue was catastrophic, the cumulative effect was significant.
“There were a few things that we identified from Austin,” Piastri said. “I think obviously it was a pretty messy weekend as well, so I think plenty of things that we found, all small things, but when you put them all together they add up, so I think we’ve got a good handle on last week.”
It’s encouraging that McLaren is being methodical about understanding their weaknesses. In a sport where milliseconds separate the front-runners from the midfield, addressing even small inefficiencies can make a massive difference. The question now is whether those lessons translate into improved performance when it counts.
Can Piastri Challenge Verstappen in Mexico?
Despite Friday’s struggles, Piastri isn’t throwing in the towel. When asked whether McLaren can match Red Bull’s pace at this high-altitude circuit, his response was measured but optimistic: “I think so, yeah. It’s going to be tight like always, but I think we’ve got a good car underneath us.”That’s the fighting spirit you want to hear. Verstappen may have topped the timesheets with authority, but Piastri knows better than anyone that Friday times don’t hand out trophies.
Saturday’s qualifying will be the real test, and if McLaren can dial in the setup overnight, there’s no reason Piastri can’t fight his way back toward the sharp end of the grid. Norris, for his part, ended FP2 in P4, a solid effort that suggests the McLaren package has speed. The challenge for Piastri is to unlock that same pace and put together a clean, consistent lap when the pressure’s on.
What’s Next for Piastri?
Saturday looms large. Qualifying in Mexico City is always unpredictable, with the thin air and unique track characteristics creating opportunities for surprises. Piastri will need to shake off Friday’s frustrations and come out swinging. He’s shown time and again this season that he has the talent to compete at the highest level. Nine race wins don’t lie, but right now, he needs to rediscover that killer instinct.
The championship battle is reaching its crescendo, and McLaren can’t afford any more slip-ups. Piastri knows it. The team knows it. Everyone watching knows it. Friday was rough, but there’s still time to turn this weekend around. As Piastri said himself, the goal is simple: “Make things just a bit more consistent.” If he can do that, P12 will be nothing more than a footnote in what could still be a strong Mexico City weekend.
