Oscar Piastri's 2025 Formula 1 Season and Prospects for 2026
Oscar Piastri finished the 2025 Formula 1 season in third place in the drivers' standings, trailing his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and four-time world champion Max Verstappen. Mid-season, Piastri had a strong lead over Norris by 34 points and was well ahead of Verstappen, but a sequence of six races without a podium led to a late-season swing. By the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he was 13 points behind Norris.
Several setbacks affected Piastri's campaign, including McLaren's team order at Monza that cost him six points and a missed pit stop under a safety car in Qatar. Additionally, he spun out in Melbourne and crashed in Azerbaijan, hampering his title challenge. Both Piastri and Norris finished the season with seven race wins each.
Piastri, aged 24, vowed to learn from the experience and has insisted on fairness and equality within McLaren as they prepare for the 2026 season. Norris, 26, acknowledged that his teammate will eventually get the better of him.
Significant regulatory changes scheduled for 2026 will alter power unit specifications, chassis, and aerodynamics, designed to increase overtaking opportunities. These changes introduce uncertainty about the pecking order and could reshape the title race. With Verstappen continuing to race in a redesigned Red Bull, the competition remains open. Piastri, having previously won both Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships, remains early in his F1 career, building on a strong foundation for the future.
