How McLaren’s F1 rivals are viewing Oscar Piastri as title bid unravels

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As Oscar Piastri’s title hopes narrow heading into Qatar, rivals believe the McLaren star lost trust in his team months ago — and some no longer see him as a realistic championship threat.

Oscar Piastri arrives in Qatar still 24 points behind teammate Lando Norris — the same margin as before Las Vegas after both McLarens were disqualified. While the setback helped Max Verstappen pull level with him, it also prevented Norris from stretching the gap to 30 points. Even so, momentum has swung sharply away from the Australian.

Verstappen has erased a 104-point deficit in just seven races, while Piastri has recorded only one podium in that span and none in his last eight starts. With confidence slipping and McLaren refusing to impose clear team orders, the 23-year-old enters Lusail under growing scrutiny from rival teams.

Mercedes insiders doubt Piastri can recover in 2025 title fight

On the Formel Schmidt podcast, Auto Motor und Sport journalist Michael Schmidt said Piastri “lost confidence” in McLaren after the Italian Grand Prix, where he was ordered to hand second place back to Norris following a pit-stop sequence.

“He’s already a bit burned,” Schmidt said. “Since Monza, since that swap of positions, he has lost confidence in the team. I don’t think he’ll let anyone tell him [to do] anything that goes against his interests. He can still become world champion, just like Max Verstappen.” Another AMuS reporter, Joel Lischka, added that Mercedes staff “no longer really believe that Piastri will win the title.”

Piastri banking on Qatar surge to keep slim hopes alive

Piastri’s record in Lusail offers a rare bright spot. He won the 2023 Qatar Sprint and finished second in the Grand Prix, while Norris returned the favour by gifting him the Sprint win last year after a prior swap in Brazil. The Australian has never missed the podium at the circuit and believes its high-speed layout suits his style.

Mathematically, the door remains open. If Piastri wins both Qatar races and the finale in Abu Dhabi, Norris would still need at least 34 points — for example, two third-place finishes and a fifth in Saturday’s Sprint — to deny him. But with McLaren’s internal balance strained and Verstappen charging, the margin for error has evaporated.