Oscar Piastri finishes fourth at Austrian Grand Prix as McLaren seeks overall performance boost

Oscar Piastri recovered from seventh on the grid to finish fourth at the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix, about 22 seconds behind race winner George Russell and ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. McLaren team manager Andrea Stella said Piastri had to adapt his driving style to cope with the high tyre‑wear conditions expected this season, praising the Australian’s ability to extract more performance from the car.

Piastri noted that the team does not have a single identifiable weakness but requires broader improvements in pace and tyre adhesion to consistently challenge Mercedes and Ferrari. McLaren currently sits third in the constructors' championship with 159 points, trailing Mercedes by 143 points and Ferrari by 45 points, and has yet to secure a win in 2026.