Piastri’s Recent Struggles Highlighted by Villeneuve
According to 1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, Oscar Piastri has faced challenges in keeping pace with his McLaren teammate Lando Norris recently, as he was “already at his limit.” Piastri seemed on track for a first Drivers’ Championship when he won the Dutch Grand Prix in late August, marking his seventh victory in 15 races and putting him 34 points ahead of Norris.
Recent Race Performance
However, the 24-year-old Australian has not secured a win in the five races that followed, and his inability to finish on the podium in the last four events enabled Norris to reclaim the championship lead with a commanding victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix. With four races remaining, starting with this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Villeneuve questions whether Piastri can regain the necessary form to overcome a one-point deficit.
Villeneuve’s Analysis
Villeneuve remarked, “We didn’t have an extremely fantastic Lando early in the season, not the Lando we had at the end of last year. And we kept saying, ‘Oh, that’s because Piastri has stepped up, he’s now on Lando’s pace and even quicker.’ But was it actually Piastri stepping up or Lando that just wasn’t on it?” He speculated that Lando’s earlier discomfort with the car may have led to Piastri’s complacency.
Piastri’s Limitations and Errors
Piastri’s earlier success was attributed to consistency, but recent mistakes have disrupted his performance. He crashed out in both qualifying and the race at Azerbaijan and caused an incident that took both him and Norris out of the Sprint in Austin. Villeneuve stated, “When you drive within the limit, the car is perfect… But when you have to go a couple of tenths faster, everything feels wrong.” He emphasized that changes in track conditions shouldn’t significantly alter the performance of the McLaren car.
Psychological Factors at Play
As Villeneuve explained, a teammate’s improvement can create pressure: “You start doubting your way of driving… and suddenly, you drive tensed up, nothing works.” He advised Piastri to remember what had previously worked for him while making necessary adjustments.
Insights from Martin Brundle
Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle noted that incidents from the Baku weekend seem to have affected Piastri’s confidence, causing him to struggle since then. He underscored how critical it is for Piastri to regain focus: “He needs a very solid weekend,” emphasizing how minor lapses can have significant consequences in the tightly contested race environment.
Looking Ahead
Brundle dismissed the notion that McLaren prefers one driver to win over the other, asserting that the team is eager for Piastri to bounce back. He stated, “Rest assured, a team doesn’t spend $400m a year and have 1,500 employees… Expecting Piastri to return to form will be key.” The title race will continue in Brazil with a Sprint weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, airing live on Sky Sports F1.
