Oscar Piastri stands at a crossroads. The Australian driver finished third in the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship despite leading the title race for significant portions of the season. His teammate Lando Norris clinched the crown in Abu Dhabi on 7 December 2025, winning by just 13 points. The Oscar Piastri McLaren future now faces intense scrutiny.
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella believes Piastri can win “multiple” world championships in the future. However, the 2025 season exposed fractures in the team’s Papaya Rules policy. Controversial decisions throughout the year cost Piastri valuable points. The question now looms: should he stay or explore opportunities elsewhere?
Oscar Piastri Abu Dhabi GP Performance Seals Third Place Finish
Piastri finished second at the Oscar Piastri Abu Dhabi GP behind race winner Max Verstappen. Norris crossed the line in third place, securing enough points to claim his maiden world championship. Verstappen won by 13 seconds in an unchallenged performance at Yas Marina Circuit.
The race began with drama when Piastri overtook Norris in the opening turns on hard compound tyres. McLaren split their strategy brilliantly, with Piastri starting on hards while Norris nursed mediums in third place. This tactical move prevented Red Bull from bunching up the field.
Red Bull racing adviser Helmut Marko admitted the team “was not expecting” McLaren’s clever strategy. The split tyre choice gave McLaren flexibility and limited Red Bull’s strategic responses. McLaren clinched both drivers’ and constructors’ crowns for the first time since Mika Hakkinen won in 1998.
Piastri’s Championship Collapse: Where Did It Go Wrong?
Piastri won seven races in 2025 and led the championship by 34 points at one stage. He felt “unstoppable” during the season’s peak moments. However, a six-week blip near the campaign’s end cost him dearly. His lead evaporated as Norris capitalised on every opportunity.
The Australian’s most substantial errors were self-inflicted.A costly mistake in Australia wiped a significant chunk of points from Piastri’s championship tally. He suffered three retirements in Baku, and sprint races at Brazil and Austin. These incidents came with mitigating circumstances but ultimately remained preventable.
Piastri’s barren spell started at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a calamitous weekend. Disappointing outings at the US, Mexican and Sao Paulo Grands Prix followed. He acknowledged: “It was nice to find some form again because it would have been pretty painful.”
McLaren F1 2025 Driver News: Team Decisions Under Scrutiny
Multiple team decisions worked against Piastri throughout 2025. The Monza incident stands out where Piastri ceded position to Norris due to a slow pit stop. That decision cost three points. Norris beat Verstappen by just two points in the final standings.
The Qatar safety car disaster, the controversial Silverstone penalty, and strategy calls in Hungary and Imola all benefited Norris. McLaren did nothing to equalise these advantages. F1 broadcaster Will Buxton described it as receipts Piastri “will have kept on team decisions”.
Without these incidents, Piastri would likely be world champion despite his errors. Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner suggested last month that Piastri should leave McLaren. He stated: “Change sometimes is good. He’s young enough; he can adapt to it.”
Oscar Piastri McLaren Future Depends on Team Orders Policy
McLaren maintained its Papaya Rules policy throughout 2025, refusing to favour either driver. Team principal Zak Brown praised this approach after Norris’ victory. He stated: “We let them race until the end. Most people thought that would be impossible.”
However, Brown backflipped on his earlier stance just days before Abu Dhabi. He previously declared he’d rather lose the title to Verstappen than issue team orders. On Friday practice, he admitted: “We’re going to do what we can to win the Drivers’ Championship.”
This represents a qualified success for McLaren’s pursuit of neutrality. McLaren’s approach ultimately delivered a championship, though only by the narrowest of margins. The policy took a credibility hit in the process. The question now is what happens when one driver is champion and the other believes he should be.
Piastri remained measured after his Oscar Piastri Abu Dhabi GP disappointment. He said: “On a personal level, it’s obviously not quite the ending that I wished for.” However, he expressed pride in his team’s progress from 2024.
McLaren F1 2025 Driver News: Contract Situation Analysed
Piastri remains tied to McLaren on a long-term deal, with the current driver market offering no immediate openings over the next two seasons. Doors can only theoretically open for 2027 at the earliest. This timeline limits any immediate departure regardless of his intentions.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes continuity beyond 2026 reportedly ties to performance clauses. The role of Verstappen’s teammate remains a year-by-year proposition. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc hold “multi-year deals” at Ferrari. However, Hamilton’s gruelling 2025 suggests the 40-year-old might not see his contract through.
Aston Martin remains a sleeping giant with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll not guaranteed spots in 2027. Should the team become a frontrunner under Adrian Newey’s guidance, drivers will line up for opportunities.
Oscar Piastri McLaren Future: History’s Harsh Lessons
F1 history treats defeated teammates harshly. Nico Rosberg is the only modern example winning a championship after losing to a teammate. He played second fiddle to Hamilton in 2014 and 2015 before winning in 2016 and promptly retiring.
Daniel Ricciardo serves as a cautionary tale. After departing Red Bull in 2018, Ricciardo watched as Max Verstappen went on to dominate the sport in the seasons that followed. Ricciardo is now retired following middling stays at Renault, McLaren and Racing Bulls.
Mark Webber never got the better of Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull. The Australian retired after Vettel secured his fourth consecutive title. Leaving McLaren would be a massive gamble that could backfire spectacularly.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Where did Oscar Piastri finish in the 2025 F1 championship?
Oscar Piastri finished third in the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. He ended the season 13 points behind champion Lando Norris despite leading for significant portions of the year.
Q2: How many races did Piastri win in 2025?
Piastri won seven races during the 2025 season. He held a 34-point championship lead at one stage before a six-week slump cost him the title.
Q3: What is Piastri’s current contract situation with McLaren?
Piastri is contracted to McLaren until at least 2028. The 2026 Formula 1 grid is already confirmed, meaning any potential move wouldn’t happen before 2027 at the earliest.
Q4: Did McLaren use team orders in 2025?
McLaren maintained its Papaya Rules policy throughout most of 2025, allowing drivers to race freely. However, team principal Zak Brown indicated willingness to use team orders before Abu Dhabi if necessary.
Q5: What happened at the Monza race that affected Piastri?
At Monza, Piastri ceded position to Norris simply because his teammate suffered a slow pit stop. That decision cost three points. Norris ultimately won the championship by just two points.
