McLaren showed promising signs of progress at the Malaysian Grand Prix after a mixed start during Friday’s practice sessions at the Sepang International Circuit. Australian driver Oscar Piastri finished 11th in the morning's first practice but improved significantly in the evening session, ending sixth. His teammate, reigning world champion Lando Norris, also made a notable leap from 12th to third place between the two sessions.

Despite maintaining a slight gap behind frontrunners Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull, Piastri expressed optimism about the team’s development. “We’re maybe a tiny step behind,” he said, adding that the improvement from the first to the second session was encouraging. He acknowledged the team struggled initially but felt conditions and car performance had become more positive as the day progressed.

The changing weather conditions added complexity to the second session, with teams anticipating rain that ultimately did not materialize. This uncertainty led to varied tire strategies as teams explored different setups. “Everyone was expecting rain, and we didn’t get it. So the tyre choices were a bit different than normal,” Piastri noted, describing the session as “interesting.” He also highlighted that the team was unsure about their performance on longer stints but remained hopeful based on the day’s advancements.

McLaren aims to improve on their recent showing in last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Piastri finished 13th and Norris retired due to a multi-car collision during a safety car restart. The Malaysian weekend presents an opportunity for the British team to close the gap to the leading pack as the Formula 1 season continues.