JUST IN: OSCAR PIASTRI TARGETS 2026 TITLE AFTER FALLING SHORT IN ABU DHABI
Oscar Piastri opens up about his "rollercoaster" 2025 season and why he’s more confident than ever for the 2026 F1 rule changes.
_1767263347.webp)
Oscar Piastri came heartbreakingly close to winning the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship with McLaren, but he’s not dwelling on it. Instead, he’s looking forward, still upbeat about what’s ahead with the team.
Right from the start, Piastri looked like a real contender. He kept his cool, delivered steady results, and at times outshone his teammate, Lando Norris.
Things looked especially good after the summer break. Norris ran into trouble at the Dutch Grand Prix and didn’t finish, which left Piastri 34 points ahead of him and 104 clear of Max Verstappen in the standings.
But Zandvoort turned out to be Piastri’s last victory of the season. After that, his shot at becoming the first Australian F1 champion since 1980 started to slip away.
His retirement in Baku marked the first real mistake of his campaign, and it all started to unravel from there. Just three races later, Norris jumped into the championship lead in Mexico and never let it go, clinching his first title.
By the time they reached Abu Dhabi, Piastri had dropped to third overall—ending up 13 points behind Norris and 11 behind Verstappen.
It stung, no question. Piastri had come so close to living his F1 dream, but he didn’t let it crush him. Instead, he took it on the chin and turned his attention to 2026.
Talking to Australia’s 7Sport, he summed up the season as a “rollercoaster.”
“Yeah, it definitely was. Looking back, I’m really proud of what I achieved,” he said. “And for the team to have such a strong car and such a strong season—that’s a huge success.”
McLaren actually pulled off a rare double, winning both the Constructors’ Championship and seeing Norris grab the Drivers’ title.
For Piastri, still only three seasons into his F1 career, 2025 was all about growing and learning.
“There were a few bumps, a few hurdles, and a lot of lessons for the future,” he said.
With the big rule changes coming in 2026 and McLaren looking strong, Piastri feels like he’s in a good spot.
“To have the year we had, and to know there’s still more progress to come, it’s a nice place to be,” he said. And you get the sense he really means it.
FERNANDO ALONSO CONFIRMS ZERO PERFORMANCE UPGRADES FOR ASTON MARTIN BEFORE SUMMER BREAK
Fernando Alonso warns fans of zero performance upgrades for Aston Martin until autumn as cockpit vibrations ruin race pace.
Fernando Alonso doesn’t see things getting any better for Aston Martin until the back half of the season. The start of their 2026 F1 run has been downright rough.
Their fresh partnership with Honda just isn’t clicking. Both drivers can’t get out of Q1 in qualifying, and points? Forget it. After four rounds, Aston Martin and Cadillac are stuck at the bottom of the standings with zero points.
It’s not just a lack of speed, either. Alonso and Lance Stroll have been fighting nasty car vibrations all year, so bad that team boss Adrian Newey said after Australia, both drivers were worried about permanent nerve damage in their hands and feet.
Miami didn’t offer any relief. Alonso and Stroll both finished a lap down, 15th and 17th. At 44, Alonso accepts this might be the new normal for a while.
When someone asked if Canada might bring some improvement, Alonso shut it down quickly. "No. Maybe we’ll get a little better on drivability, but not on performance," he said. "We just have to stick together. It’s going to be a tough race.”
He knows these weekends will get repetitive. "We have to face the media every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday," he said, and when a journalist apologised, Alonso just shrugged it off: "You’re just doing your job. We drive fast, but the message is the same every week."
Aston Martin doesn’t have upgrades coming until after summer break. Alonso expects Canada and Austria to look just like Miami, and keeping everyone’s frustration in check is the new challenge. Still, he figures the team is staying calm and focused on having a stronger finish to the season.
Looking further ahead, Alonso said last month he’s open to sticking around F1 after his current contract ends. The two-time world champion, who took his titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, will be close to 450 grands prix by the end of this season.
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.
