The McLaren driver believes there’ll be no Dick Dastardly racing and more Peter Perfect in 2026.
Oscar Piastri believes that the new 2026 F1 cars, despite their radical changes, will not be too “wacky” to drive.
These new machines are narrower, shorter, and lighter than their 2025 counterparts, featuring active aerodynamics for the first time.
The power units have been significantly revamped, with a 50-50 split in power output from the internal combustion engine and enhanced battery systems generating 350kw of power.
Drivers now need to manage their energy deployment and harvesting more efficiently, with lift and coast and super-clipping becoming key strategies.
Piastri emphasizes that while there are notable differences in power generation, the new cars will not be overly challenging to drive, as they still require a similar driving approach.
Overall, the cars will be different but not drastically unfamiliar, offering a slightly modified version of driving a race car without any major deviations.
