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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has been sent a warning about why Formula 1’s new regulations could spell bad news for his hopes of winning his first championship this season.
The 2026 Formula 1 season will see a set of brand new regulations introduced to the sport that will test drivers in a completely different way.
New hybrid power units will see drivers having to deal with unfamiliar turbo lag, while the introduction of active aerodynamics in the front and rear wings will give cars a different feel.
Here it is 👀 McLaren reveal their MCL40 livery…
What do you think, hit or miss? 👇
Drivers will have to manage the battery throughout a lap, which will hopefully lead to more tactical battles both in the braking zones and on the straights, as a decision will need to be made on when to recharge.
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has improved at an incredible rate during his Formula 1 career thus far.
Fans have given their verdict on McLaren’s new livery, but it’s yet to be seen how competitive Piastri and Lando Norris’ car will be this year.
However, journalist and commentator Nelson Valkenburg isn’t sure whether Piastri is going to be as competitive as he was last season because of the upcoming rule changes.
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Nelson Valkenburg worried about Oscar Piastri and ‘curious’ to see how Pierre Gasly performs in 2026
Valkenburg was asked on The Race F1 Podcast which drivers might adapt well to the new rules and who might struggle, and he said: “I would assume Verstappen is quite good at this.
“I am really curious to see how a driver like Pierre Gasly does in these regulations.
“Famously and anecdotally, he struggled a little bit in his Red Bull stint to adapt, but he’s grown so much, and he must embrace the opportunity that’s been given to him.
“So, I’m very curious to see what he does.
“And to me, Piastri could be the one that struggles a little bit because we’ve seen how he struggles with certain types of tracks in certain circumstances and in three years hasn’t always been able to master them and arguably may have cost him the world title last year.”
How quickly will Oscar Piastri adapt to Formula 1’s new regulations in 2026?
Journalist Edd Straw added: “I’d also be interested to see how Alonso does, I think, because he’s just a very adaptable driver generally.
“So he’s an interesting place because he’s got the age that you could argue is against him, but he’s just a super adaptable driver in his approach.”
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Martin Brundle tells Oscar Piastri what he’s got to ‘fix’ heading into the 2026 F1 season
Piastri’s biggest weakness after his first two seasons alongside Norris was in qualifying, where the British driver got the better of him more often than not over one lap.
However, the 24-year-old has now secured six pole positions and put that concern behind him.
Unfortunately, one of the main reasons he squandered a lead in the drivers’ championship last year was because of problems he faced on low-grip circuits.
Martin Brundle has told Piastri he needs to ‘fix’ this aspect of his driving performance if he wants to go on and become a world champion.
There have previously been suggestions that Piastri needs to take his simulator work more seriously, something that Max Verstappen has perfected over the years.
The Australian is one of the most intelligent drivers on the grid, which should work in his favour given how many additional tasks he will be required to do in the car under the new ruleset.
Piastri knows he needs to improve on low-grip surfaces, but if that doesn’t happen, then his championship chances may already be over.
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