17 July 2026 11:00 (UTC)
Both drivers will have the opportunity to test a new circuit-specific rear wing for the race at Spa, before further upgrades are delivered
Oscar Piastri believes the upgrade packages being brought to the double-header in Belgium and Hungary are a key step towards closing the gap to McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team's biggest rivals.
Both Oscar and Lando Norris will test a new circuit-specific rear wing on their MCL40s at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend, while both cars will also be fitted with a new internal combustion engine (ICE). A significant upgrade package is then set to follow at the Hungaroring next week.
Oscar has happy memories of Spa-Francorchamps, and he hopes a return to his favourite track can coincide with a positive stride forward.
The Australian delivered a masterful drive in the Ardennes drizzle to secure his first Belgian Grand Prix victory 12 months ago. After heavy rain delayed the start by an hour-and-a-half, he passed Lando on the first race lap to take his sixth victory of the season.
Although he did well to recover to P11 after sustaining damage in a coming together at the start, the 25-year-old is looking forward to getting behind the wheel of his car after a tough British Grand Prix.
"We've shown previously what we can do with upgrades and by developing faster than our rivals," said Oscar. "This year, the teams around us have clearly taken a big step forward in the rate of development. Ferrari are bringing lots of new bits, Red Bull as well.
“I think Mercedes are in a slightly better position because they've had an advantage from the start. They don't have to rush things or make up that advantage. They can take their time a little bit more.
"We've had a few challenges through the year in bringing those upgrades, making sure they work and finding the right direction. We're on the right path now. We just need to get them to the track. But clearly, for the rest of this season, next year and the years after that, it's going to be about continuing to develop.
"We saw last year, and under the previous regulations, how quickly things can change both during a season and from one year to the next. Hopefully we can do that again.
"I'm hoping we're more competitive than we were at Silverstone. It wasn't an easy weekend for us, but we'll have to wait and see. I'm not expecting us to be challenging Mercedes or Ferrari, but hopefully we can be closer and take advantage of any opportunities that come our way.
"It's not like these next upgrades are going to vault us all the way to the front. We know we're going to need more than just this next round of upgrades because the others are going to keep pushing. But I hope the next few upgrades close the gap."
While Lando secured P4 at Silverstone, he will face a 10-place grid penalty at Spa after car Number 1 required a fourth power electronics unit of the season, one more than the permitted allocation.
It is hoped Lando can minimise the impact by taking advantage of Spa's reputation as one of the better circuits on the calendar for overtaking.
While Lando acknowledges there will be an element of waiting to see how the race unfolds on Sunday, he is confident Spa is the right place to fight his way through the field.
"I'll have to wait and see how the overtaking is," he said. "Most people would basically deploy the whole battery down to Turn 5, which would of course mean you go from 100% battery to 0%, so there's not much more use for the battery. We'll have to wait and see.
"Compared to some of our competitors, we probably have a small straight-line speed advantage over the people a little further back. Against them, we should have a good chance.
"In general, overtaking could be pretty difficult here compared to previous years, but the slipstream is pretty powerful, and there are still a few straights where there's no straight-line mode. That makes the slipstream even more effective, and you can gain a good amount from it.
"I don't have all the answers yet, but we know Spa is better than Zandvoort and better than Hungary for taking penalties. I hope it's not the end of my weekend before it has started, but I'm confident we can have a good weekend."
