Oscar Piastri finished fifth in the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday after a late battle with McLaren teammate Lando Norris, bringing an eventful race in which the Australian also fought Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen to a close.
Piastri started sixth after a three-place grid penalty for impeding Liam Lawson dropped him from his original third-place qualifying position. He quickly moved forward after the start and the opening-lap clash between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, eventually finding himself among the leading group.
The McLaren driver then became involved in a lengthy battle with Hamilton. The Ferrari driver eventually ran wide, allowing Piastri to move ahead, while Piastri also fought Max Verstappen during the race. Despite getting past the Red Bull, however, he was unable to establish a significant gap.
The same pattern continued late in the race when Norris closed in. The McLaren teammates exchanged positions several times before Norris eventually finished ahead, leaving Piastri fifth.
“It was a good battle [with Norris]. Lots of back and forth between us and, although I would have preferred to hold the position, it was a good fight. I think I had that race with three different people throughout,” Piastri said.
The Australian admitted that fighting his teammate brought its own complications because both drivers know the strengths and weaknesses of the McLaren.
“It was difficult because when you’re fighting against your teammate, you know the strengths and weaknesses of the other car. That makes some things easier, but other things more difficult.”
Piastri had also been encouraged by the progress he felt McLaren had made during the weekend. The team had acknowledged before the race that it lacked the pace to consistently challenge the leading cars at Monza, while Piastri’s qualifying performance initially offered a more positive picture before his grid penalty.
“I felt better [than in the last few races]. The weekend was much stronger than the recent ones, for me obviously. There’s still room to improve, for sure, but I felt we took a step in the right direction. I’m happy with that.”
Piastri’s fifth place came behind Antonelli, George Russell, Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly, while Norris finished fourth.
The result nevertheless marked a relatively positive recovery for Piastri after the grid penalty. He had originally qualified third, only 0.180s behind pole-sitter Gasly, before the three-place sanction moved him to sixth on the starting grid.
The Italian GP also continued McLaren’s recent difficulty in converting strong pace into maximum results. Team principal Andrea Stella had already admitted after qualifying that the team left performance on the table, while Norris had also struggled with traffic and track position in qualifying.
Kimi Antonelli ultimately won from 19th on the grid, with Russell second and Verstappen third. The victory made Antonelli the first Italian to win at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.
Formula 1 now heads to Spain for the 14th round of the 2026 season, with the Spanish Grand Prix taking place from September 11-13 at Madrid’s new street circuit. GRANDE PRÊMIO will continue to cover all the action from the new venue.
FAQ
Where did Oscar Piastri finish the 2026 Italian GP?
Oscar Piastri finished fifth at Monza, one place behind McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
Who did Oscar Piastri battle during the Italian GP?
Piastri fought with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen during the race before engaging in a late battle with teammate Lando Norris.
Why did Oscar Piastri start sixth at Monza?
Piastri qualified third but received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Liam Lawson during Q2, dropping him to sixth on the starting grid.
