By Joe Morin | April 29, 2026 | @joemorinthef1guy
Should McLaren Be Worried With Norris and Piastri Outside the Top Three? Not yet—but if this trend continues much longer, the tone inside McLaren will start to shift from calm confidence to genuine concern.
A Reality Check After 2025 Glory
Twelve months ago, everything looked perfect. Lando Norris was world champion, the team had momentum, and Oscar Piastri was establishing himself as one of the grid’s elite talents. Fast forward to early 2026, and the picture is very different.
After the opening rounds, Norris sits 5th in the standings and Piastri 6th, with both trailing a dominant front group led by Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, and Charles Leclerc.
That’s not a disaster—but it’s a clear step back.
The Core Issue: Regulation Reset
The biggest factor here isn’t driver performance—it’s the car. The sweeping 2026 regulation changes have reshuffled the competitive order, and McLaren appears to be on the wrong side of that shift.
Reports suggest the team’s intense focus on securing both championships in 2025 delayed development for the new rules, leaving them playing catch-up early in the season.
Meanwhile, rivals like Mercedes have hit the ground running, winning races and locking out the top of the standings.
This is classic Formula One: Success one year can cost you the next.
Are Norris and Piastri the Problem?
No—and it’s important not to fall into that trap.
Norris is still performing at a high level, regularly extracting solid points finishes. Piastri has shown flashes of brilliance, including a near-win in Japan, proving the raw pace is still there.
The issue is consistency and outright speed relative to the front runners, not driver quality. If anything, McLaren arguably still has one of the strongest driver pairings on the grid. The problem is they currently don’t have the machinery to match it.
Reasons Not to Panic (Yet)
There are three big reasons McLaren should stay composed—for now:
* It’s early in the season: The points gap looks large, but it’s not insurmountable this early.
* Major upgrades are coming: The team is introducing a heavily revised car, starting with races like Miami.
* Proven adaptability: McLaren’s 2025 turnaround showed they can develop quickly when they identify the right direction.
In other words, this isn’t a team in crisis—it’s a team behind schedule.
When Should Panic Set In?
Here’s the blunt truth: if McLaren’s upgrade package doesn’t close the gap within the next 3–5 races, then yes, it’s time to worry. Formula One seasons are ruthless. Fall too far behind early, and even a fast car later won’t be enough to recover a title challenge—especially against consistent teams like Mercedes or Ferrari.
Final Verdict
McLaren doesn’t need to panic right now—but they do need urgency. Being outside the top three isn’t a catastrophe in April. Staying there into the summer would be.
Because in Formula One, momentum is everything—and right now, McLaren doesn’t have it.
Joe Morin is a regular contributor to The Sidearmer, specializing in Formula One coverage. He has been following Formula One and other forms of racing for over 30 years. He has even competed in the now-defunct Canadian Karting Championship, finishing second overall in 2008. This gives him a driver’s perspective, complemented by an analyst approach.
Morin also has experience in podcasting, having worked behind the microphone for over ten years and as a video and audio editor for The Gorilla Position and Turnbuckle Studios.