Oscar Piastri sees an upside to being out of the title fight

Oscar Piastri is no longer in the Formula 1 title fight, and he sees an unexpected upside: a less stressful season. The McLaren driver says he still misses the pressure that comes with a championship battle, with three rounds left to race this season.

The situation contrasts with last year. Piastri led the standings for much of the season and fought for the title against his teammate Lando Norris. Late in the year, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen joined the battle: Piastri finished third, behind champion Norris and Verstappen, who was second.

This season, Piastri is seventh in the drivers’ standings with 152 points and no wins, while Norris is sixth with 246 points and three victories. McLaren is fourth in the constructors’ championship with 398 points, 254 behind Mercedes.

Asked whether missing out on the title had been a blow, Piastri replied: “Yes and no.” He is clear about his ambition: “I want to be in a championship fight every year if I can be, but also, it’s definitely a bit more relaxed this year. Obviously, we’re not wanting to be in this position, but there’s not quite the same stress.” He added that the pressure of a title fight is also a feeling you want, because it means you are competing for a goal. “I am missing that feeling this year,” he said, while acknowledging that “there are some things that are a little bit easier when you’re not in a championship.”

McLaren has struggled to match the pace it showed over the previous two seasons under Formula 1’s new regulations. The team has nevertheless made progress in recent races, and Norris won in Brazil. Piastri said the rule changes and the new power unit required an adjustment. He described the car as difficult to drive and said the team took time to identify what needed to change. “We’re making progress with it slowly, and that’s all we can keep trying to do,” he said.