Former team boss issues scathing assessment of Piastri’s failed title bid

Speaking via Sports De, Steiner pointed to the dip in form suffered by the Australian after the Dutch Grand Prix, stressing the need for honest self-reflection.

“I think Oscar knows that he himself is to blame for not having become world champion. Because of this slump five or six races ago, where he really delivered nothing, he needs to take a good look at himself and recover," he said.

The former Haas team boss, however, concluded by stating that Piastri’s title ambitions now rest on McLaren’s ability to produce another competitive car for 2026.

“Next year he has to hope that McLaren will again have a car good enough to become world champion," he added.

Piastri’s 2025 season can be summed up as a tale of two halves. After a dominant start to the season, where he won as many as seven races from the first 15 rounds, the 24-year-old managed only three podium finishes in the final nine races of the campaign.

Earlier, Piastri pointed out the biggest lessons he has learned from the 2025 campaign. The McLaren driver, who finished third in the Drivers’ Championship, highlighted several car-specific learnings from the season.

Piastri also pointed to a few personal learnings, particularly in the face of what he describes as in-season adversity.

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