Oscar Piastri has already warned his rivals ahead of the new F1 season. The McLaren driver says he has gained a clearer understanding of his own weaknesses after the late dip in form that contributed to missing out on the 2025 title fight. The experiences he has picked up should help him mount another challenge for the world championship next year.
After the Dutch GP in August, Oscar Piastri still looked set for his first title. He held a 34-point lead over team-mate Lando Norris and even 104 points over Max Verstappen. From the race weekend in Azerbaijan, however, Piastri—previously praised for his mental resilience—seemed to buckle under the pressure. That allowed both Norris and Verstappen to pass him in the standings. He ultimately finished third in the championship, 11 points behind the Dutchman and 13 points behind his team-mate.
In the build-up to the new season the Australian says he better understands where things went wrong last year and how he can benefit from the sweeping regulation changes. “I’m just trying to better understand how the car feels,” Piastri responded after the first shakedown in Barcelona. “It’s such a big change compared to what we’ve had over the past years—and during my time in Formula 1,” he explained.
‘I’ll carry those lessons with me’
According to the McLaren driver there is a lot to take in with the new rules. “There are a lot of things to understand; the new engines, but also the philosophy of the car is completely different,” he said. “It’s about getting used to that, to how everything feels different. From there the job is to work it out as quickly as possible so we can make the car both faster and more comfortable.”
Despite the setbacks in 2025 his confidence remains high. “The enthusiasm is strong,” he continued optimistically. “I’ve had a good first three years in Formula 1, but this is my first major regulation change, so it will be interesting to see where we end up as a team. I feel I proved to myself last year what I’m capable of, and also identified where I still need to work. I can take those lessons into the new era.”
