Oscar Piastri heads into his first Australian Grand Prix with his McLaren team on the backfoot.
McLaren's poor start to the 2023 Formula 1 season has led to a shake-up within the team.
Piastri and teammate Lando Norris have failed to score any points from the opening two rounds of the season, with the car looking well off the pace.
McLaren has wasted no time making changes in the garage, announcing the departure of the team's executive technical director James Key.
The famed British team announced the technical director role will now be done as part of a group with the roles being split between aerodynamics, engineering and car concept.
This major shake-up comes as Piastri hopes to secure his first F1 points in front of a packed crowd at Albert Park.
"I grew up in the suburbs of the city and it is a special feeling to be returning as an F1 driver," Piastri said.
"It's set to be a fantastic atmosphere and I can’t wait to get there and be a part of it."
McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown said the changes made ahead of this weekend's race stem from the disappointment the team had by not contending with the top teams.
"It's important now that we ensure we have a solid foundation as the next phase of our journey," he said last week.
"It has been clear to me for some time that our technical development has not moved at a quick enough pace to match our ambition of returning to the front of the grid."
McLaren has achieved one race victory since 2012, when Australian Daniel Ricciardo drove a flawless race to win the Italian Grand Prix in 2021.
Piastri's first race this season lasted 15 laps before retirement. He managed to finish his second race, coming home 15th.
