Max Verstappen has expressed his respect for Oscar Piastri, presented as the new leader in the Formula 1 world championship standings, highlighting Piastri`s notably composed demeanor.
According to the scenario presented, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri holds the lead in the Drivers` World Championship standings for the first time heading into the Miami Grand Prix, having reportedly won consecutive races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
In the most recent race discussed, held in Jeddah, Verstappen finished second to Piastri after receiving a penalty following their clash on the first corner. This places Verstappen 12 points behind the in-form Australian in the early 2025 championship standings, with Piastri`s McLaren teammate Lando Norris situated between them.
Commenting on the 24-year-old Piastri, Verstappen remarked, “People tend to forget that last year [relative to the 2025 scenario] was only his second year [in Formula 1].” He highlighted Piastri`s strong form, mentioning his reported five wins from the last 17 Grands Prix.
Verstappen added that in his third season, Piastri “is very solid.”
“He`s very calm in his approach, and I like that,” said Verstappen. “It shows on track.”
Verstappen concluded that Piastri “delivers when he has to, barely makes mistakes – and that`s what you need when you want to fight for a championship.”
Verstappen also credited Piastri`s manager, former Red Bull driver Mark Webber, for his role in aiding the driver`s development.
“I think with Mark by his side, he`s helping him a lot. It`s great,” added Verstappen.
“People learn from their own careers – that`s what I had with my dad, and Mark is advising Oscar,” he explained.
“At the end of the day, Oscar is using his talent, and that`s great to see.”
Can Verstappen Challenge McLaren in Miami?
Although pre-season favorites McLaren have remained the team to beat since testing, Verstappen has managed to stay in contention with Piastri and Norris at the top of the standings across the opening five rounds.
This is despite Red Bull`s car showing inconsistent performance from track to track, starkly illustrated by Verstappen`s results during the recent Japan-Bahrain-Saudi Arabia sequence.
At Suzuka, the Dutchman produced a masterful lap to secure pole position ahead of the McLarens, which allowed him to control the race from the front and win on a circuit known for difficult overtakes. A week later in Bahrain, however, Red Bull significantly struggled with tyre degradation, leading to Verstappen finishing sixth, 34 seconds behind the victor, Piastri.
Despite this, he was back on pace at the fast Jeddah street circuit, taking another stunning pole. However, a five-second penalty for cutting the first chicane during his opening lap battle with Piastri ultimately saw him drop behind the Australian after serving the penalty in the pits.
“I think we need to find more overall performance, balance especially, and of course consistency,” stated Verstappen.
“We are not good at every track. That`s quite clear,” he noted.
“In Bahrain, we were lacking a lot. Saudi Arabia, for sure, was much better. But as I said, it`s also a very low degradation track, which brings more cars into contention. So we still have work to do, but at least [Jeddah] was a promising result.”
Hypothetical Drivers` Championship: Top Five
- 1) Oscar Piastri, McLaren 99
- 2) Lando Norris, McLaren 89
- 3) Max Verstappen, Red Bull 87
- 4) George Russell, Mercedes 73
- 5) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari 47
