The Formula 1 title chase has experienced a dramatic shift in recent times. The once dominant position of Oscar Piastri relative to Lando Norris has eroded, leaving him trailing his McLaren colleague by a single point, while Max Verstappen looms dangerously close.
Such a significant points reversal across a mere handful of races raises serious doubts. Is the Australian racer now incapable of contending with his teammate or the Red Bull ace? Our specialists provide their views.
Piastri’s surge has stalled, and regaining it will be challenging – Ed Hardy
Racing enthusiasts often impose excessively high expectations on drivers. When these expectations aren’t fulfilled, criticism ensues. This pattern has emerged concerning Oscar Piastri, who, until the Monza event, seemed virtually flawless, effortlessly managing the pressure associated with a potential F1 championship.
However, the 2025 season was always destined to present Piastri with genuine challenges. That moment has arrived. Piastri’s commanding 34-point lead over Lando Norris post-Zandvoort has transformed into a one-point deficit, a consequence of a concerning run of form that featured a first-lap exit in Baku.
It appears that Piastri is finally feeling the intensity. We must remember that this is a 24-year-old participant in his third F1 season. It was unrealistic to anticipate an entirely seamless season, devoid of ups and downs. He remains relatively inexperienced compared to his competition.
Piastri possesses remarkable talent, substantial potential, and a chance, albeit slim, to reverse his fortunes. However, the pendulum seems to have swung considerably in the opposite direction.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Norris is performing exceptionally well, surpassing his McLaren teammate in points across the last five Grand Prix events, attaining top form at a crucial moment. His performance embodies the characteristics of a champion, a status Piastri currently lacks. This situation is amplified by the fact that, of the remaining four races (Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi), Piastri has historically outperformed Norris only at Qatar.
Dismissing his chances would be a mistake – Oleg Karpov
Admittedly, Oscar Piastri’s recent performance has surprised many. His decline in form starkly contrasts with his earlier showings this year, perhaps even surprising himself.
Although a pattern may seem evident, various elements must be taken into account. Piastri hasn’t endured a string of five poor weekends. He conceded only three points to Lando Norris at both Monza and Singapore. Some might suggest he was also a casualty of team strategy in both events. Had he disagreed in Italy or defended more assertively in Singapore’s initial corners, his championship situation would appear significantly stronger.
Nevertheless, Baku represented a clear setback, and he lacked the pace of Norris in Austin and Mexico. However, trailing your teammate by a few tenths of a second at certain venues isn’t necessarily detrimental. The primary cause of Piastri’s points deficit compared to Norris in recent races is McLaren’s reduced dominance. The Australian’s diminished form coincided with rivals closing the performance gap. McLaren can no longer afford to have an “off weekend” and still secure second place.
Despite the unfavorable circumstances, there’s no compelling reason to believe Piastri can’t recover.
In Mexico, as Andrea Stella explained, the track’s specific demands on driving style caught him off guard. This shouldn’t pose an issue in Brazil, Las Vegas, or the Middle Eastern races.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Piastri has demonstrated the ability to learn quickly, and we should bear in mind that he is only competing in his third Formula 1 season. His first-half performance was commendable, but anticipating a flawless campaign without any challenges was overly optimistic.
He will undoubtedly require substantial self-control to avoid succumbing to panic. While winning the championship won’t be straightforward, prematurely dismissing his aspirations after a few difficult weekends would be misguided.
Piastri approaches the final four races with a fresh perspective – Fil Cleeren
It would be concerning if there was conclusive evidence of Oscar Piastri’s form collapsing or indications of pressure affecting the young Australian in this title fight. However, that doesn’t seem to be the situation. And let’s disregard baseless theories.
While Baku was problematic, he still out-qualified Lando Norris in Singapore. Technical factors seem responsible for his underwhelming weekends in Austin and Mexico. Piastri seems to excel when grip levels are high, his car handles superbly, and he can fully commit to the driving experience.
However, his natural driving style doesn’t seem suited to sliding cars in low-grip situations, even if that is a way to get a lap time out of the MCL39. Piastri and the team now need to adapt to the circumstances that previously worked so well for most of 2025, but stopped working over the past two races. Team Principal Andrea Stella has stated there was already proof that Piastri was implementing those lessons on Sunday, but traffic kept him from fully making use of them.
However, the forthcoming races in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, held in highly varied settings from Mexico, should provide a new opportunity for the 24-year-old. While his points lead has been erased, he has an opportunity to start the Interlagos weekend afresh and demonstrate why his title bid is no coincidence.
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– The Autosport.com Team
