McLaren F1 star Oscar Piastri pokes fun at double DNS to start 2026 season

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, British GP, Britain, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

McLaren F1

F1 star Oscar Piastri pokes fun at double McLaren DNS

It's been a tough couple of weeks for Oscar Piastri

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 21 March 2026 21:54 Updated: 23:32

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McLaren F1 star Oscar Piastri has suffered the worst swing in fate going from the highs of the 2025 season to the lows of his 2026 campaign.

In 2025, Piastri was challenging for the championship and secured seven race victories in his most successful F1 season to date. But any hopes of replicating this in 2026 are quickly diminishing.

Not only were McLaren four tenths of a second behind polesitter Kimi Antonelli in Shanghai last time out, but neither driver received the opportunity to start Sunday's race.

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Both Lando Norris and Piastri did not start due to separate electrical issues found in both of their power units, and the team are now 80 points behind rivals Mercedes in the constructors' standings.

The DNS at the Chinese Grand Prix was certainly worse for Piastri, however, who also failed to start his home race in Melbourne after a crash on the reconnaissance lap.

Yet, reflecting on the opening two rounds on social media, Piastri decided to take the disappointment in his stride.

Piastri refuses to be knocked down

In an effort to not take himself too seriously, Piastri's latest social media post offered a nod to his F1 misery in 2026.

Sharing a series of pictures from the F1 paddock, gym and home (featuring cameos from girlfriend Lily Zneimer), he couldn't resist writing the cheeky caption: "Two weeks of watching F1."

One fan commented on the caption, and wrote: "We laugh through the pain."

Another added: "Mans already reached acceptance in the five stages of grief."

A third social media suggested the fans care more about the double DNS than Piastri, and wrote: "I like how he seriously does not care and we're losing our minds."

When is the next F1 race?

After a fast turnaround between the 2026 season opener and the second round, fans and drivers can breathe easy for a moment given that there is now a week off until the third race weekend of the championship.

Piastri will be hoping to start the next grand prix on Sunday, March 29, as the Japanese Grand Prix returns to Suzuka.

A long break in the calendar will then follow in April after confirmation from F1 that both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs have been cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

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