According to Günther Steiner, Piastri needs to try his luck elsewhere
Guenther Steiner has struck again, responding to Oscar Piastri’s current situation with clear words. The former Haas team boss is demanding a clear improvement in performance from the Australian if he does not win the drivers’ championship.
Piastri is currently in second place in the drivers’ standings. The 23-year-old is 24 points behind teammate Lando Norris and 25 points ahead of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. With three races remaining, the title fight remains exciting.
Steiner spoke unequivocally about the McLaren driver’s future on The Red Flags podcast. “Especially if he doesn’t win the championship, I think he has a good chance of getting into any other good car,” explained the South Tyrolean.
The former team boss sees a change as a possible option for Piastri. “He’s a good driver and change is sometimes good. He’s young enough, he can adapt. He should do it and I think he will,” Steiner continued. Steiner made it clear that Piastri must use the winter break to start the new season stronger. The South Tyrolean is critical of an alternative development for both sides.
“He simply has to regroup over the winter and come back stronger than before. Otherwise, if he doesn’t come back stronger, I think it’s best for him to change teams,” Steiner explained.
Despite his harsh words, the 59-year-old hinted that he believes the Australian has a successful future ahead of him. “But he could come back, because I still rate him very highly,” Steiner added. Piastri’s recent performances are indeed cause for concern. The McLaren driver has not finished on the podium since the Italian Grand Prix. Ironically, he is lacking consistency in the decisive phase of the season.
Added to this is the pressure from Verstappen, who is back on the rise after his impressive performance in Brazil. Steiner sees the Dutchman as having a clear advantage in the battle for second place.
Verstappen as a cautionary example
“Why not? He’s continuing to do it. If you say Oscar is mentally destroyed now, then Max will be ahead of him, absolutely,” said the former team boss, analyzing the situation between the two title contenders. Steiner particularly emphasized Verstappen’s mentality, which he currently misses in Piastri. The Red Bull driver showed in Brazil how to fight back after setbacks.
“Max is motivated, as we saw in Brazil. He didn’t give up after a crappy qualifying session. He rolled up his sleeves, did better and finished on the podium,” Steiner praised the three-time world champion.
Decision in Las Vegas
This attitude is currently lacking in Piastri, according to the South Tyrolean’s subliminal message. The Australian must prove that he is mentally strong enough to cope with the pressure.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 20-22 marks the start of the final triple-header of the season. For Piastri, it will be important to get back on track quickly.
Steiner’s words are likely to put additional pressure on the McLaren driver. At the same time, however, they also show that the market considers the young Australian to be valuable. Whether at McLaren or elsewhere, Piastri’s future depends on the coming weeks.
