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Why Oscar Piastri’s 2025 Season could fefine his F1 future

Originally posted on HITC | By Shay Rogers | Last updated Dec 26, 2025 11:10 AM ET

Oscar Piastri let the 2025 F1 title slip through his fingers despite being in control of the championship at the midway point of the season.

His biggest issue came during a stretch where he failed to finish on the podium for six races in a row, and McLaren struggled to find answers for his drop in form.

Piastri managed to bounce back somewhat with a pair of second-place finishes late in the year, but it wasn’t enough to overhaul his teammate.

With new regulations coming into play next year, Piastri has plenty of motivation. Some even think he’ll be more determined than Norris.

Speaking on BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Guenther Steiner didn’t hold back when sharing his view of Piastri’s season: “Oscar needs to have a good look at himself because this was a championship that got away from him.”

But Damon Hill offered a more positive outlook after Abu Dhabi: “He made mistakes this year but I think it’s still early days. He will become world champion. He can beat Lando.”

Lewis Hamilton once explained to Oscar Piastri why there’s no room for friendship with Lando Norris

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Nico Rosberg, among others, got it wrong about Piastri in 2025, thinking his composure under pressure was unshakeable. But after Zandvoort, things started to unravel.

Zak Brown has called Piastri a ‘future world champion’, though there’s a sense he might need to adjust his approach to reach that level.

During the 2015 Bahrain Grand Prix, speaking with BBC Sport, Lewis Hamilton explained why there’s little room for friendship between Formula 1 teammates.

A lot has changed in the sport over the past decade, but that mindset is something Piastri may need to consider if he wants to develop more of an edge.

“I think it’s difficult to understand, but there is no friendship between two teammates,” said Hamilton. “There’s only one championship. There’s only one first place, and you want it.

“If the other person gets it, that’s an opportunity for you gone. It’s very, very hard because it gets so intense; it builds up.”

Is Oscar Piastri in the right place to succeed in Formula 1?

Once an Alpine junior, Piastri’s decision to switch allegiances in 2022 was a turning point, though it was a controversial one at the time.

The teams were on fairly equal footing back then, but McLaren have since re-established themselves as a force near the top of the grid.

It’s hard to say whether Piastri is in the right place for long-term success, especially with new regulations coming into play soon. Until we see how things shake out, it’s anyone’s guess.

The pecking order could easily shift again, and if McLaren aren’t able to offer him a competitive car by 2027, he may well be looking for a way out.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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