Oscar Piastri won two races in the 2025 Formula 1 season and is in second place behind his McLaren teammate Lando Norris – Can he win the title?
Oscar Piastri has done his homework and is suddenly in with a chance of winning the Formula 1 World Championship in 2025. The Australian has worked on his weaknesses and managed to minimize his mistakes. That’s why he has already notched up two victories in the first four races and is only three points behind his McLaren teammate in second place in the drivers’ championship. A ninth place in Australia is so far the only outlier for the 24-year-old, who is developing into a complete racer.
The youngster was criticized for his lack of qualifying pace and imperfect tire management, but Piastri has worked on these areas and developed. In the 2025 season, the McLaren driver had already secured two pole positions, both of which he converted into victories. With four years of experience in the premier class, Piastri now seems to be strong enough in all areas to challenge for the title.
In 2024, Piastri still lost the qualifying duel against Norris with a whopping 20-4 scoreline. In 2025, the pendulum could swing in the other direction if the trend continues. In addition, the Australian has adapted his driving style to steer the car through corners with more sensitivity. This helps with consistency and also reduces tire wear, which can be the difference between winning and losing.
Consistency is the key to success and so far, Piastri has managed to post consistent laps even under pressure. So the 24-year-old has not only improved his qualifying pace but also his racing skills. Combined with his talent and strengths, Piastri has taken a big step towards becoming a “complete racing driver”.
In Formula 1, however, it is not only the driver and his skills that play a major role, but also the cars. The new McLaren MCL39 seems to suit Piastri better than Norris, who lacks the consistency that Piastri shows. Nevertheless, Norris is in first place in the overall standings, just ahead of his team-mate. To get there, Piastri didn’t need a complete philosophy change, but small adjustments to the car have made him feel right at home.
Piastri focuses on getting the car perfectly into the corner entry to accelerate out of it at the right moment. Is he always the fastest driver? No, but he manages to consistently set fast lap times in a stint. Piastri has contested 50 Grands Prix so far and has established himself in the world of top-level racing. Is he ready to take the big step towards the title in 2025?
“I’m happy with my driving performance so far this season,” said the down-to-earth youngster. ‘Not all the results were what I actually wanted to achieve. In any case, the car is very good. There are still moments when it does what it wants, but for the most part it’s a car that’s great to drive. We’re proud of it.’
