Oscar Piastri reflects on “bizarre” Q2 exit after Mexico City GP qualifying setback

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Oscar Piastri will line up 13th on the grid for the Mexico City Grand Prix after a surprise exit in Q2. The McLaren driver entered the second qualifying segment after posting the fourth-fastest time in the opening phase at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Saturday, but he was unable to carry that momentum into the next run.

In Q2, Piastri managed only the 13th quickest time after aborting a late effort and then failing to improve sufficiently on his subsequent attempt. The result left him sidelined while his team mate Lando Norris topped Q2, and Piastri will therefore start Sunday’s race behind Norris, who will begin from P6 following Norris’s position in the second session.

Piastri later pointed to tyre grip as the key issue, telling reporters he had no clear explanation for what changed. “No idea. The new set of tyres we put on in Q2 just had no grip,” said Piastri. “Not sure what happened there but the balance was completely different somehow. I don't really know what happened, I'm sure we'll have a look but just very bizarre.”

The setback adds pressure for McLaren as the team remains tied for third in the Teams’ Championship standings alongside Red Bull. Piastri, meanwhile, acknowledged that his 2026 season rhythm has been difficult to reproduce: he has not won for more than a year and has gone without a podium since the Miami Grand Prix in May.

With his qualifying result turning his focus to damage limitation, Piastri said his priority for the remainder of the Mexico City weekend would be to convert Sunday’s starting position into points. “Now just try and make up as many spots as I can and try and get into the points, that's the biggest thing,” Piastri said. “Just try and understand what happened first.”