Oscar Piastri, the current Formula 1 championship leader, has acknowledged the few flaws of the MCL39, confirming its unpredictability when pushed to the edge.

McLaren’s performance has arguably been the biggest talking point of the early 2025 Formula 1 season. The papaya-colored team has emerged as the front-runner, securing five wins in the first seven races and placing both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the top of the standings. However, Norris, in particular, has had occasional off-moments—especially during qualifying sessions—partly due to difficulties in handling a car that, while incredibly fast, can also be quite temperamental.

Now, Piastri himself has echoed those concerns. Speaking to the media in Monte Carlo, the Australian admitted that the MCL39 isn’t always easy to manage. “It can be a bit unpredictable when you’re really pushing it,” he said. “It clearly has a lot of pace, but getting that performance out of it isn’t always straightforward because sometimes you just can’t fully anticipate how it will behave.”

“Sometimes the car feels better than it has at other races,” Piastri added. “But when you’re right on the edge, it can still react in ways you don’t expect. That said, it’s still an extremely strong car overall.”

Photo: courtesy of McLaren F1