He won the Chinese Grand Prix and is currently driving the best car, but why isn’t Oscar Piastri thinking about the title (yet)?
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri was the big winner at the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, securing almost the perfect points haul with second place in the sprint and victory in the main race. And because he is currently in the best car, the question arises: will he end his 2025 season with the world championship title?
Piastri does not want to get involved in this discussion. He says: “It’s still very, very early in the year. And I think, no matter whether the season is long or short, you have to get the maximum out of the car in every race.”
Piastri did not manage that at the opening race in Australia: After spinning out in the wet, he did not finish in the hoped-for podium position, but only in ninth place. That is why Piastri is currently “only” in fourth place in the world championship behind his team-mate Lando Norris, Max Verstappen in the Red Bull and George Russell in the Mercedes.
And Piastri knows that the early races in particular can be crucial. “Last year we saw it with Verstappen. He won the title because he fully exploited the potential of his car at the start of the season. Of course, he was also doing well afterwards, but he built up the lead when he had the opportunity at the beginning of the year,” says Piastri.
Things change quickly in F1
Piastri also has these thoughts at the back of his mind. “You never know when someone will suddenly be faster with an update or find something new in the setup. The differences are quite small, so you should take your opportunities whenever you can.”
Piastri does not want what sounds like a forward-looking approach to winning the world championship to be understood that way. “As trite as it sounds, and it is a cliché for good reason: I’m not thinking about the title right now, I’m focusing on one weekend at a time. Because ultimately, you win a championship by getting the best out of every weekend.”
How Piastri has improved from 2024 to 2025
Piastri has done this convincingly in China. It therefore seems as if he has returned from the winter break stronger. This is also the impression gained by McLaren team principal Andrea Stella.
He praises Piastri: “His understanding of the race, his general speed – and to a certain extent, his questions about the race – were very precise. They were the right questions at the right time. I would see that as another example of his developing racing intelligence. It has improved over the winter.”
Piastri has done “a lot of work” between seasons, Stella emphasizes. His rider has been working with the engineers to “analyze a long list of races” to see where he can improve.
“But for me, the biggest proof of his progress is a conversation we had exactly twelve months ago here in China. I remember us standing outside after the race, just the two of us, somewhat at a loss, saying, ‘There’s a lot to learn from this race.’“
”And looking back now, 12 months later, I think we’ve learned from all of these experiences and made good use of them.”
