Damon Hill: Oscar Piastri Is Wise to Keep McLaren Struggles Private
Hill says Piastri can protect his focus by limiting public talk about McLaren’s problems as he rebuilds confidence during a difficult 2026 season.
Oscar Piastri’s difficult 2026 season has put a premium on composure. Former Formula 1 champion Damon Hill thinks the Australian is right to keep details of his problems at McLaren largely to himself while he works to recover his confidence and pace.
The timing makes the downturn especially stark. When Piastri arrived at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix, he led the drivers’ standings. That race marked a shift in the title contest: teammate Lando Norris moved ahead and went on to secure his first championship. Piastri returns to Mexico this season in seventh place.
A confidence challenge alongside the car’s limits
After the first 18 of 23 rounds in 2026, Piastri has two podium finishes: second in Japan and third in Miami. A gearbox problem in Hungary ended another podium opportunity. The results leave a considerable gap between the promise of his previous campaign and the season he is now trying to salvage.
Hill sees more than a technical problem. When one driver wins the title and the other remains in the same team, the team’s attention can naturally shift towards its champion. For the driver who missed out, that change can make it harder to feel settled and confident at the factory and on track.
“It’s hard to actually walk into the factory and cope with the fact that all the attention is going on this guy, who is a world champion and you missed out,” Hill told Fox Sports Australia. “I think with Oscar, you’re seeing him having to re-find confidence.”
That team dynamic sits alongside a car that doesn’t play to Piastri’s natural strengths. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has said the Australian’s driving style doesn’t suit the 2026 regulations. The new aero and chassis rules tend to make the rear of the MCL40 slide when driven quickly, a characteristic that works against Piastri’s preferred approach.
The challenge isn’t confined to one driver. The source describes the MCL40 as fundamentally difficult to drive, including for Norris, and says Piastri has had to work hard to extract its potential. That distinction matters: a driver can be struggling to adapt while also losing time to a car that makes consistent performance difficult.
Why Hill backs restraint
Piastri has offered little detail in public about the reasons for his slump, including any difficulties with the car or inside the team. Hill considers that restraint sensible. Publicly airing frustrations may give a driver a short outlet, but once a comment is circulating, its meaning and impact are no longer in the speaker’s hands.
“I think Oscar is reluctant to reveal whatever it is he’s having to cope with within the team or within his mind, and I think that’s wise,” Hill said. “I think it’s probably a good idea to keep your powder dry.”
Hill isn’t arguing that Piastri should never speak about what’s happening. His point is that choosing what to share is difficult, and a driver may be better judged by what he does on track than by remarks made during a tense run of results.
“Every now and then, you have to express something – but once it’s out in the world, you don’t have any control over it,” Hill said. “So, it’s very difficult to pick which bit you reveal, I suppose. But it does pay in the long run to just be judged on your performance, not necessarily on what you say.”
Signs of recovery, with a difficult car still in the way
There have been flashes of improvement. Jenson Button saw encouraging signs in Piastri’s performances in Baku, Malaysia and Singapore. His chance to return to the podium in Azerbaijan came close, but a lock-up ended that prospect. The MCL40’s limitations then restricted him again in the United States.
For Piastri, the immediate task is to turn those glimpses into steadier results while adapting to a car that asks for a different driving style. Hill’s advice gives him room to keep that work private: explain less, focus on performance and let the results provide the clearest measure of progress. The Mexico weekend will show whether the recent flashes can translate into a stronger finish to a season that has so far offered little margin for error.
