Oscar Piastri has expressed excitement following his debut run in McLaren's new MCL40 car during the Barcelona Shakedown. The Australian driver encountered some technical issues but looks forward to applying lessons from previous seasons in the upcoming 2026 Formula 1 era. He highlighted the challenges and opportunities presented by the new regulations.
Oscar Piastri took to the track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Thursday for his first laps in McLaren's 2026 challenger, the MCL40, following Lando Norris's session the previous day. This shakedown marks the initial testing phase ahead of the new regulatory era in Formula 1.
Reflecting on the experience, Piastri said: “It was nice to be back out, and especially in a new car. A lot of new challenges for us this year up and down the grid, so it’s nice to get stuck into some of them.” However, the day was shortened by a fuel systems issue, which Piastri noted the team was working to resolve for Friday's running.
The driver emphasized the programme's focus on ironing out bugs in the entirely new cars and engines, different from those used over the last three or four years. “Definitely the first few things are just trying to iron out all these bugs, find the problems,” he explained. Piastri described the process as “a challenge and exciting,” pointing to areas where teams can differentiate themselves under the 2026 rules, including less downforce and a new car philosophy.
Looking ahead, Piastri aims to gain a better understanding of the car's feel during the remaining shakedown days. After Barcelona, teams will proceed to Bahrain for pre-season tests on February 11-13 and 18-20, before the Australian Grand Prix opens the season on March 6-8.
On entering this new era, the 24-year-old stated: “I’m excited. I’ve had a good first three years in F1 and this is my first regulation reset... I feel like last year I really proved to myself the things that I’m capable of.” Video comments from Piastri also noted a smooth final day where he completed good laps and found his rhythm in the MCL40.