Oscar Piastri At A Loss Amid Declining F1 Form And Championship Lead

Significantly, Norris’ impressive and dominant victory meant that Piastri’s fifth-place finish left him just one point behind his British teammate in the championship.

The 24-year-old can’t explain why he has lost his competitive edge to his teammate but plans to explore ways to replicate his early-season form, when he secured three consecutive wins in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Miami.

"I was behind rivals the entire race and was constantly riding in air turbulence. I tried to learn as much as possible, but ultimately it was all about limiting the damage," Piastri told Speedweek post-race. "Finishing fifth on such a difficult weekend is fine, but unfortunately the gap to Norris is far too big.

"I have to drive differently somehow. I'm struggling to understand why I haven't been able to get as much speed out of the car in recent races as I used to. But something in the delicate balance between car, tires, and driver is no longer right."

"We'll now calmly analyze how I can change that. But right now, I don't know how to tackle it. It has nothing to do with the car.

"The fact is – Lando's speed and mine are completely different. Norris finds it easier to drive fast, I find it harder. I somehow have to rediscover my toolbox from the first part of the World Championship."

Piastri's Mexico performance puts him under even more pressure

The sudden drop in form should concern Piastri, given that his renowned consistency had kept him at the top of the standings for most of the season.

Since his disappointing outing in Baku, where he crashed out on the first lap, Piastri has finished fourth and fifth twice. His last podium came at Monza, after McLaren controversially swapped his car with Norris’ following a slow pit stop for Norris.

His competitive edge has diminished, and now behind in the championship, Piastri will need to regroup if he is to mount a serious challenge for the biggest prize.

Alarm bells will need to ring if Piastri repeats this performance in Brazil. With plenty of points up for grabs in the final four races, including two Sprint weekends, Norris carries all the momentum he has built since his mistake in Canada.