It Was Another Tough Weekend for McLaren, and Piastri Didn’t Hold Back
From October 24 to 26, as the sun set over Mexico City, warning signs began to flash for Oscar Piastri and McLaren. Once comfortably leading the 2025 Drivers’ Championship, Piastri suddenly found himself struggling to adapt to a car that no longer suited his driving style. Meanwhile, teammate Lando Norris seized the momentum and the lead.
Heading into the Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Piastri held a 14-point advantage over Norris. But qualifying shifted the narrative: Norris took pole with a 1:15.586 lap, while Piastri managed only eighth, 0.588 seconds slower. On race day, the contrast widened. Norris converted pole into a commanding victory, while Piastri finished fifth, more than 42 seconds adrift. The result flipped the standings, with Norris now leading the championship by a single point.
The Car Is Fine, But Something’s Off
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Eustace Bagge
Oscar Piastri admitted he was puzzled by his recent struggles but stopped short of blaming major car changes. “I’ve not changed how I’m driving since the start of the season,” he said after qualifying, still trying to understand the drop in performance. “What is going on?” he asked, as the gap to teammate Lando Norris stubbornly remained. The pace that once came naturally seemed to have disappeared. “Driving the way I’ve had to drive these last couple of weekends is not particularly natural for me,” Piastri conceded.
McLaren’s Internal Shift
For McLaren, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. The team had already secured the Constructors’ Championship, but the Drivers’ title remained up for grabs. With tensions rising between teammates, McLaren opted to reset the dynamic by lifting the internal sanctions placed on Lando Norris after an earlier clash with Oscar Piastri. Both drivers would begin the Mexico weekend with a “clean slate.” The message from the pit wall was clear: race hard, but fix the underlying problems quickly.
Norris looked composed and in sync with the car, while Piastri appeared unsettled. Team engineers suggested the issue wasn’t mechanical but stemmed from how each driver adapted to the car’s evolving balance. Analysts also pointed to Mexico City’s low-grip surface, heavy tyre wear, and high altitude, conditions that may have blunted Piastri’s usual strengths.
Four Races Left And No Time to Waste
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Gobierno CDMX
Four rounds remain, and every point could decide the title. Lando Norris now leads the standings 357 to Oscar Piastri’s 356 after Mexico, while Max Verstappen sits 40 points back and is gaining ground. Piastri aims to find his rhythm, reconnect with the car, and steady his campaign before the championship slips away.
For McLaren, the real test is managing a rivalry that’s as tense as it is competitive. Mexico may look like another warning sign, but how the team and its drivers respond from here could ultimately shape the outcome of the 2025 season.