Piastri reflects on 2025 lessons after championship near-miss
Oscar Piastri has opened up about the key lessons he learned from the 2025 season, where a strong start wasn't enough to secure the title. The McLaren driver highlighted improvements in his driving adaptability and his personal growth in handling pressure and adversity.
Oscar Piastri has reflected on the crucial lessons learned from the 2025 Formula 1 season, a year that saw him mount a serious title challenge only to fall short to teammate Lando Norris. The Australian identified significant growth both in his driving and in his personal resilience, viewing the season as a foundational step for his future.
Why it matters:
Piastri's candid assessment provides insight into the mindset of a driver on the cusp of a championship. His ability to dissect a season of extreme highs and lows—from a dominant start to a fading finish—reveals the maturity needed to convert raw speed into a title-winning campaign. For McLaren, having two drivers capable of fighting for the crown is the ultimate team goal, and Piastri's continued evolution is key to sustaining that challenge.
The details:
Piastri's takeaways from 2025 are split into two clear categories: on-track performance and off-track mentality.
- On-Track Refinement: He pinpointed lessons "directly related to how I drive the car," specifically his ability to adapt to varying conditions and become a more complete driver. This suggests a focus on consistency and extracting performance from the car even when it's not in its optimal window.
- Off-Track Growth: Perhaps more telling were his comments on handling adversity. "I’ve learned a lot about myself in those kinds of situations," Piastri said, acknowledging the mental toll of a championship fight and the difficult moments that defined the latter part of his season.
The 2025 season was a story of two halves for Piastri. He stormed to seven wins in the first 15 races, establishing himself as the early championship favorite. However, his form dipped in the final nine races, where he managed only three additional podium finishes. This performance swing ultimately cost him the drivers' title, underscoring the very consistency he aims to master.
What's next:
The lessons from 2025 are now the building blocks for 2026. Piastri has proven he has the outright speed to win races and lead a championship. The next step is marrying that speed with the relentless consistency and mental fortitude required over a full season to dethrone a competitor like Norris. His development will be central to McLaren's hopes of securing both championships next year.