Oscar Piastri hailed for "really smart" Japanese Grand Prix drive

Oscar Piastri earned praise from Alex Brundle after a smart and composed drive to second place in Japan

F1 TV analyst Alex Brundle has lauded Oscar Piastri's "really smart" moves during the Japanese Grand Prix.

Piastri, who has suffered a horrible start to the 2026 season after failing to start both the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix, delivered a strong drive from third on the grid to a second-place finish.

While McLaren has struggled to kick off the season with the dominance it enjoyed in 2025, the Mercedes-powered outfit took a step forward during the race at the Suzuka circuit.

Speaking on F1 TV after the race, Brundle praised the Australian driver's performance.

"I mean, you don't count out the constructors' champions at any time," he said when asked if Mercedes should be concerned about a surge in performance from McLaren.

"I think Oscar Piastri drove a brilliant grand prix today. He got off the line really well, as we've just seen, but also he was really smart in traffic against a couple of faster cars - understanding the parameters of the circuit, making sure that he had the energy in the right place and then having the composure as several drivers did through the race."

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Brundle specifically pinpointed Piastri's ability to use the circuit and his energy management to his advantage.

"But Piastri is the one who stood out to me to allow cars to pass him to take not only the boost back down the start/finish straight, but also the overtake for the next lap to then not only maintain the position."

McLaren currently sits third in the constructors' standings with 46 points. It still has some way to go to close the gap to Ferrari in second, which has 90 points after the first three rounds, and Mercedes, which leads with 135 points.

Piastri is sixth in the drivers' standings with 21 points and his team-mate Lando Norris is fifth with 25 points.