Oscar Piastri highlights 'different priorities' as McLaren faces unique scenario

Oscar Piastri has explained how, despite the "different priorities", McLaren's engine supplier Mercedes is "trying to make us all as quick as possible."

For 2026, McLaren will be using a supply of customer Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP) engines, along with Alpine and Williams, as well as the works Mercedes team.

Across the Barcelona shakedown, Alpine, McLaren, and Mercedes combined for 1,134 laps as Williams sat it out, with McLaren and Mercedes both expecting to be in title contention.

That places McLaren in a unique scenario as it could be fighting its engine supplier for the world championship, with other possible contenders, Red Bull, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, all either having exclusive status or not expected to be challenged by a customer squad.

However, Piastri felt that at this stage in the development of the power units, simply gaining mileage was the main priority, even as different teams had "different priorities."

"There is still definitely a lot to learn, especially on the power unit side of things," Piastri said.

"Just how to get the most out of it and how you go the fastest, but I think we understood some of the problems and limitations, and some of the things which are just different to last year, both on the power unit and in the car.

"It's got a lot less downforce than we had last year, so [it is about] getting used to that, and it has been the biggest thing we've started to get ourselves into.

"The main thing for Mercedes HPP is trying to understand the power unit as well, and we're trying to help them. 

"Any information that they can get from Lando and I, is very helpful, but even just running the power unit is very helpful for them.

"So there are a lot of things going on at once, but everyone has got slightly different priorities, but they're trying to make us all as quick as possible."