[Saba Sports News] Recently, Oscar Piastri offered a relatively calm analysis of Mercedes’ dominant performance. In his view, the team possesses no so-called secret technology; its advantage stems more from an overall edge in basic performance rather than a single technical breakthrough.
During the Japanese Grand Prix, Piastri was in control of the race at one point. With an excellent start, he overtook two Mercedes cars on the launch and maintained the lead in the first half. However, the safety car changed the situation, allowing Andrea Kimi Antonelli to seize the opportunity to move ahead, gradually pull away in the later stages, and eventually win by a comfortable margin.
Despite the disappointing result, Piastri believed he had a genuine chance to win without the safety car intervention. Regarding Mercedes’ current strong form, he said post-race data analysis showed the gap was not concentrated in one specific area but the cumulative effect of overall performance. He noted that Mercedes held a slight advantage in downforce and grip, while using the power unit more efficiently — factors that combined to create a consistent lead.
In the editor’s opinion, the McLaren car has no obvious weaknesses, but lags slightly behind in every detail. These widespread yet small gaps are continuously amplified during races. Looking ahead, improving downforce remains McLaren’s most direct area for development.