Oscar Piastri was on track for his first world title for a long time, but was overtaken by Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship in the final stages of 2025. Rumors about a possible move by the Australian to another team immediately started circulating, but according to Jacques Villeneuve, Piastri should be careful: ‘You are essentially only as good as your last race’.
In 2025, Oscar Piastri was leading the drivers’ championship for a long time, until Lando Norris overtook his teammate after the GP Mexico. Eventually, the Australian fell short of thirteen World Championship points in Abu Dhabi, and had to watch as Norris clinched his first world title. After the season finale, Juan Pablo Montoya speculated that Piastri, along with manager Mark Webber, is in talks with other teams.
Former F1 Driver Warns of Motorsport’s Unpredictability
Jacques Villeneuve, also a former F1 driver, has already warned the Australian about the unpredictability of motorsport. “McLaren had the best car this year. They’ve proven that. He’s under contract,” the 1997 F1 champion analyzes Piastri’s current situation, speaking to a betting platform. “It’s a volatile world. Some years every team wants you at all costs, and two years later the focus is already on something or someone else. You’re essentially only as good as your last race. That’s what teams and people look at.”
Form Slump
Piastri experienced a form slump after the Italian GP. While Norris claimed victory twice in Mexico and Brazil, the Australian could do no better than fifth place. “Oscar had a great image when he was at Alpine, before he came to McLaren. Teams were fighting each other to get him,” Villeneuve adds. “The second half of the season was not so good in that respect. So he needs to rebuild that confidence a bit.”
