MCLAREN’S DILEMMA: DID TEAM ORDERS TRIGGER PIASTRI’S LATE-SEASON SLUMP IN 2025?
Lando Norris is the 2025 F1 champion, but did Oscar Piastri’s 34-point lead evaporate due to a lack of rookie consistency?
In 2025, Oscar Piastri led the F1 drivers’ title race for 71% of the season but ended up third overall. His McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, snatched the championship win.
The McLaren pair dominated the 2025 season from beginning to end. Norris held the lead for 77 days, while Piastri led for 189 days. Norris grabbed the top spot from Red Bull's Max Verstappen after a dominant 1,029 days, starting with a win in the Australian opener.
Verstappen didn't lead the standings at all that season, a first since 2020, yet he almost grabbed the 2025 title. Norris beat Verstappen by just two points after 24 races and six F1 Sprints. Piastri finished third, 13 points behind
Christian Danner believes Piastri lacked the 'consistency' needed to win the 2025 title. Norris passed Piastri in Mexico City after winning from pole position in the 20th of 24 rounds. Piastri had been in front since his win in Saudi Arabia in the fifth round and led by as much as 34 points after winning the Dutch race in the 15th round.
Danner told sport.de that Piastri is still a rookie next to Norris and Verstappen. He had a lot to learn, which is key in a championship fight.
He needs a certain level of consistency, which he lost a bit in the final part of the season. But he got it back and was great in the end. That's why the three-way fight for the title was so interesting, even with all the issues the drivers faced.
Piastri was consistent for most of 2025. The Australian finished on the podium in 14 of the first 16 races. But he only got two more podiums in the last eight.
Norris also had 13 podiums in the first 16 races. He would have had 14 if not for an oil issue in the Dutch race. He was in second place when Piastri won his seventh and final race.
Piastri's season took a turn starting at Monza. He recovered when F1 went to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. McLaren's order for Piastri to let Norris pass him in the Italian race seemed to start Piastri's fall in 2025.
Danner isn't alone in thinking Piastri needs to improve to challenge Norris and Verstappen. Guenther Steiner says Piastri is “to blame” for losing the 2025 title, saying he did “nothing” between rounds 17 and 22.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown feels Piastri can win a title, maybe in 2026 with the new F1 rules. He nearly won in 2025, but Piastri can't repeat his late-season struggles.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
