Piastri’s 2026 struggles diagnosed as former McLaren driver reveals hidden problem

Piastri, who led the Drivers’ Championship for more than 13 rounds during the 2025 season, has struggled to put together the consistency expected of him. While the Australian has shown flashes of the form that made him a title contender last year, the 25-year-old has so far failed to match the pace of teammate Lando Norris.

Amid his difficult run through the first half of the season, Montoya has suggested that the manner in which Piastri lost the 2025 Drivers’ Championship could be playing a major role in his current struggles.

The seven-time race winner believes the psychological impact of losing a title that appeared to be within Piastri’s grasp could have affected his confidence and contributed to his dip in form.

“Losing the championship last year really hurt him mentally. It’s a process of getting over it, figuring it out and getting the focus and the energy back on getting the job done. He is bloody good, so I think he will,” Montoya said via a betting platform.

“It’s such a big thing on the head, the psychology part of it. Losing the championship last year, everyone was talking like it was his, it was in the bag. When you’re in that position where you look unbeatable and you lose the championship, it’s a hard pill to swallow,” he added.

Montoya, however, remains confident that Piastri can rediscover his best form, highlighting the Australian’s natural speed and ability. “It’s going to take some time to get back where he needs to be. He has the potential to do amazing things, I truly do. I think Oscar is a bloody good driver, he’s very quick.”

While Piastri sat comfortably at the top of the Drivers’ Championship for much of the 2025 season before ultimately losing the title to teammate Norris, the Australian has managed just two podium finishes across the first 11 races of the 2026 campaign. His struggles were compounded at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he failed to finish the race.

Earlier, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella identified what he believes has been the team’s biggest lesson from a challenging opening half of the 2026 campaign.

Stella, who recently saw his squad return to victory lane for the first time since the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix, highlighted unity and resilience as defining factors behind McLaren’s ability to recover from a difficult start to the season.

Reflecting on the opening half of the campaign, the McLaren boss acknowledged the challenges the team has faced but praised the cohesion within the squad, insisting that its ability to regroup and respond has been crucial to its recovery. Stella also credited the resilience and contributions of both drivers, highlighting their role in helping McLaren turn its fortunes around following a difficult start to the season.