Villeneuve Backs Piastri's Champion Potential, Warns of Mental Scars

Jacques Villeneuve has supported McLaren CEO Zak Brown's assertion that Oscar Piastri is a future world champion, but with a crucial caveat. The 1997 champion believes the Australian "might" win a title, not "will be" one, emphasizing the immense psychological challenge Piastri faces after letting the 2025 championship slip away. Villeneuve argues that finishing third behind Max Verstappen in a superior car will be the toughest pill for Piastri to swallow this winter.

Why it matters:

In the high-stakes world of F1, a driver's mental state is as critical as the car's performance. Villeneuve's insight, coming from a driver who won a title in a tense finale and understands the sport's pressures, highlights the potential long-term impact of Piastri's near-miss. How the young driver handles this setback could define the trajectory of his entire career and determine if he can convert his undeniable talent into a championship.

The details:

• Villeneuve tempered Brown's bold prediction, stating, "Zak Brown should have said Oscar might be world champion, not will be."
• The Canadian pointed out that Piastri was in a position to control his destiny during the 2025 season, a year where new regulations created a unique, one-off opportunity.
• The Mental Toll: Villeneuve stressed the importance of toughness, noting, "He knows he had that championship in his hand. He was controlling it. That’s why it’s tougher for him than for Max, for example, who never expected to win it anyway."
• The Final Blow: The most damaging part of the outcome for Piastri was not just losing the title to teammate Lando Norris, but also being beaten by Max Verstappen, whose car was not as consistently competitive as the McLaren. "Out of the three drivers, it’s toughest for Oscar. Because he finished third in the end, behind Max, not even second. That will grate him."
• Villeneuve's advice for Piastri is a complete mental reset: "Hopefully for him, he comes back to that first test a completely new man, forgetting completely about this season. He starts from zero, and fresh."

Between the lines:

Villeneuve's comments underscore a brutal reality of modern F1: internal team battles can be more damaging than external rivals. While losing a championship to a direct competitor is painful, being outperformed by a teammate when you had the lead creates a unique and profound psychological scar. Piastri isn't just recovering from a loss; he's processing the failure to beat his teammate, Lando Norris, when the ultimate prize was within his grasp. This internal dynamic at McLaren will be the most fascinating storyline to watch next season.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to Piastri's response during the offseason and into pre-season testing.

• The Mental Reset: Can Piastri genuinely internalize Villeneuve's advice and use the winter to mentally reset, or will the "what ifs" linger and affect his early-season performance?
• McLaren's Dynamic: How will McLaren manage its two star drivers, one a reigning champion and the other a wounded contender, to prevent internal friction from derailing their 2026 campaign?
• On-Track Response: All eyes will be on Piastri in the first few races of next season to see if he can translate the pain of 2025 into a fiercer, more determined championship challenge.