After a challenging start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, McLaren's Oscar Piastri is setting modest yet meaningful goals for the Japanese Grand Prix: simply starting the race.

"At Least See the Lights Come On"

"We'll try and at least see the lights come on!" joked Piastri during a media session at Suzuka, referring to the starting sequence of the race. The Australian driver has yet to participate in a race this season, failing to start both the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix.

The misfortunes began at his home race in Melbourne, where a crash en route to the grid left his car too damaged to compete. Just one week later in Shanghai, Piastri made it to the grid but was withdrawn before the formation lap due to an unresolved technical issue. His teammate Lando Norris also failed to start that race due to a separate mechanical problem, compounding McLaren's troubles.

Resilience Over Frustration

Despite the back-to-back non-starts, Piastri says he hasn't allowed anger or disappointment to take over. Reflecting on the incidents, he admitted the first DNS (Did Not Start) in Australia came with "anger and disbelief" but emphasized a shift in mindset after China.

"After China, it is what it is – not everything works as well as you hope, there’s no point getting angry about it or too sad about it,"

he said. "Unfortunately, you can't change anything, so all you can do is focus on the next thing in front of you and learn as much as you can."

Instead of wallowing, Piastri spent the race weekends analyzing on-track action. He studied race dynamics, observed car performance in corners, and looked for patterns that could inform his driving approach once he finally gets track time.

Maintaining Focus Ahead of Suzuka

While he hasn't increased simulator workload to compensate for the lack of real race experience, Piastri is confident in his adaptation to the 2026 regulations and car behavior.

"I’ve been happy with my Qualifying so far this year,"

he said. "That’s been the biggest thing in my control, and I feel like I’ve adapted well to the new cars and rules."

He acknowledged McLaren is currently behind Ferrari and Mercedes in performance but remains focused on delivering strong results when the opportunity arises. For Piastri, a successful weekend in Japan would be simple: start the race.

"Start the race, that would probably help!"

he said with a smile. "The first two races are what they’ve been. Now it’s about putting in good performances – that’s all I can do."