Is Oscar Piastri Cracking Under Pressure? A bold claim has emerged from Jacques Villeneuve, suggesting that Oscar Piastri’s recent slump might not be what it seems. But here’s where it gets controversial: Villeneuve argues that Piastri’s early-season success was less about his own brilliance and more about his teammate Lando Norris underperforming. And this is the part most people miss: as the competition heats up, Piastri’s true limits are being exposed, while Norris has found his stride. Let’s dive into this intriguing theory and explore why it’s sparking debate among F1 fans.
The narrative surrounding Piastri’s performance has taken a dramatic turn. After a strong start to the season, where he outshone Norris in five out of eight races, Piastri now trails his McLaren teammate by a single point. Norris’s victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix reclaimed his lead in the drivers’ standings, a position he hadn’t held since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix earlier in the season. This shift coincides with McLaren’s rivals closing the performance gap, adding another layer of complexity to Piastri’s struggles.
Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion, proposes a thought-provoking theory: Piastri’s early dominance was partly due to Norris’s discomfort with the car. As Norris has since adapted and improved, Piastri’s performance has plateaued, revealing that he may have been operating at his maximum capacity all along. Here’s the kicker: Villeneuve suggests that when you’re only competing against your teammate, you might not push yourself to that critical extra tenth of a second. But when the stakes rise, and you’re forced to dig deeper, the cracks begin to show.
This idea is supported by Piastri’s recent results. Since his retirement at the Dutch Grand Prix, a race he won, Norris has finished off the podium only once—in Azerbaijan, where Piastri crashed out on the first lap. In contrast, Piastri has secured fourth place in Singapore and fifth in both the United States and Mexico City Grands Prix. Villeneuve argues that while Norris has risen to the challenge, Piastri has struggled to match the increasing demands, possibly becoming complacent earlier in the season.
But is this a fair assessment? Villeneuve points out that McLaren’s decision to shift focus to their 2025 car development has left their current machinery stagnant, eliminating external variables like car updates. With the same car and tires, the only difference is driver performance. Yet, Piastri seems to be overthinking, tweaking setups, and doubting his driving style—a classic case of getting inside your own head, according to Villeneuve.
This theory raises a broader question: How much of a driver’s success is due to their own skill, and how much is influenced by their teammate’s performance? Villeneuve’s argument challenges the narrative of Piastri’s early-season success, suggesting it was as much about Norris’s struggles as Piastri’s prowess. What do you think? Is Villeneuve onto something, or is he underestimating Piastri’s talent? Let’s spark a debate in the comments—agree or disagree, but let’s keep it respectful and insightful.
For those eager to stay ahead of the curve in F1 news, join our WhatsApp broadcast channel (https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaUcBxk6BIEcgEnwDi1T) for exclusive updates from our accredited journalists. And don’t forget to subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@planetf1com) for in-depth features and behind-the-scenes stories from the heart of Formula 1. Next up, explore how potential engine grid penalties could shape the F1 title race (https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-f1-2025-grid-penalty-engine-change).
