Oscar Piastri has established himself as one of Formula 1’s top talents. The McLaren driver has set the pinnacle of motorsport alight since joining in 2023.
With three wins and 12 podiums already, the Aussie is on the path to becoming a star in F1 and a potential world champion. Alongside Lando Norris, he gives McLaren arguably the strongest driver line-up for years to come.
Norris is contracted until 2028, with Piastri recently extending his deal beyond 2026. The 24-year-old is effectively on equal terms with his teammate as McLaren continue to emphasise they have two ‘number one’ drivers.
In 2025, the Woking-based outfit are letting their drivers battle on track for the championship. Norris currently leads the way, with Piastri third behind Max Verstappen – the McLaren duo have one pole position and win each.
| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Lando Norris |
62 |
| 2 |
Max Verstappen |
61 |
| 3 |
Oscar Piastri |
49 |
| 4 |
George Russell |
45 |
| 5 |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
30 |
| 6 |
Charles Leclerc |
20 |
| 7 |
Alexander Albon |
18 |
| 8 |
Lewis Hamilton |
15 |
| 9 |
Esteban Ocon |
10 |
| 10 |
Lance Stroll |
10 |
The Aussie grabbed the first pole of his F1 career at the Chinese Grand Prix and converted it to victory with a commanding drive. Damon Hill had a two-word praise for Piastri as he showcased his pure talent.
Naturally, the 24-year-old has had interest from other teams in the paddock, notably Red Bull. However, Piastri has committed his future to McLaren and issued a further put-down to his team’s main rivals.
Oscar Piastri ‘does not care’ about Red Bull’s interest after signing new McLaren deal
Red Bull are admirers of Piastri and his teammate Norris. The Milton Keynes-based outfit have been linked consistently with the former, however, particularly when they were looking for a replacement for Sergio Perez.
Christian Horner told Drive to Survive that he would take Piastri over Norris if given a choice. However, the Aussie is not interested in entertaining his rivals after putting pen to paper on a long-term deal in Woking.
Speaking with the print edition of Sport Bild via sport.de, Piastri says does not care ‘at all’ about Red Bull’s interest as he reiterates his excitement for the future with McLaren.
“That’s flattering, of course, but ultimately, I don’t care at all. I see my future at McLaren. That’s why I recently extended my contract early beyond 2026,” he said.
“You never know how good a team will be. I’m confident we’ll continue to be at the front. The development we’ve undergone is incredible.
“At the beginning of 2023, we were last, now we’re the ones with the best car – and that without a rule revolution. We now want to crown this journey by winning both world championship titles.”
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Does Oscar Piastri have what it takes to win the 2025 F1 championship?
With McLaren boasting the strongest package by some distance, the 2025 title will likely be a three-way shootout with Norris, Piastri and four-time defending champion Verstappen.
Despite having the quickest car, McLaren still have a clear problem with team orders and who to prioritise. Piastri wants to be team leader, but he has been ordered to stay behind Norris in two of the three races so far.
Who gets the special treatment at the team will depend of which of the two are ahead in the closing stages. Piastri is behind Norris by 13 points heading into the Bahrain Grand Prix – and he has proved to have the talenr to overtake his teammate
Juan Pablo Montoya thinks Piastri can ‘destroy’ Norris if he can start outqualifying him. Norris admits there is not an ‘easy dynamic’ at McLaren given both drivers want the championship – it could reach boiling point if they cannot handle them effectively.
