McLaren came into the Japanese Grand Prix simply relieved to have both cars on the grid after a turbulent build‑up — and left with a result that showed just how far the team has come.
Oscar Piastri led the early stages with authority, Lando Norris surged late to fifth, and the team walked away knowing they had been genuine contenders for victory.
Piastri’s launch was the standout moment of the race. Quick off the line, he swept into the lead and immediately began dictating the pace, keeping George Russell behind and even edging away from the Mercedes at times. Reflecting on that opening phase, he said: “We go alright when we make the start!”
The Australian looked in complete control until the race pivoted on a single moment. Piastri pitted before the Safety Car was deployed, and when the order reshuffled, he found himself behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
It was a twist that left him wondering what might have been. “A good result today, it would have been really interesting to see what would have happened without the Safety Car,” he said.
“I could keep George behind and just before the stops we were actually pulling away a little bit. A shame that we never got to see what would have happened.”
Even so, Piastri was quick to highlight the positives. Finishing second — and being disappointed about it — speaks volumes about McLaren’s progress. “But I think for us, at this point, to be disappointed about finishing second is a pretty good place to be.”
He also made sure to credit the team for executing flawlessly in a race shaped by timing and circumstance. “Massive thanks to the team. I think we did a really good job of executing with what we had.”
Still, Piastri knows there is more performance to unlock if McLaren want to turn podiums into wins. “We clearly still need to find a bit of performance, but we took every opportunity we had today.”
