Daniel Ricciardo’s playful theory: “My helmet made Oscar Piastri unstoppable”. Daniel Ricciardo jokes that Oscar Piastri’s dominant form in 2025 began after a helmet swap in Singapore.

Oscar Piastri, rising star
Thanks to the superb McLaren MCL39, Oscar Piastri has truly blossomed at the start of 2025, managing to take home three wins in the first five races. The Australian, just 24 years old, leads the championship with a 10-point advantage over teammate Lando Norris and 12 over reigning champion Max Verstappen. The McLaren driver is showing enviable maturity, undeniable speed, and top-tier racecraft, so much so that many observers now consider him the favorite for the title.

Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri
This rise of Oscar Piastri hasn’t gone unnoticed by the ever-playful Daniel Ricciardo, who shared a unique take with the media, as reported by the Australian outlet Betoota Advocate: “We swapped helmets in Singapore and since then he’s become untouchable. There’s something in that helmet, I felt it. And now he’s got it. I’m not saying it’s magic—or maybe I am. Oscar has the helmet and he’s finding lap times no one else can. You tell me what it is.”

When this remark was relayed to Oscar Piastri, his response was immediate: “If it works, I’m not changing anything!”
The two drivers had exchanged helmets after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, and Daniel Ricciardo had written a note on the shell dedicated to Piastri: “Oscar, keep flying mate! Do your best. To many more victories!”

Clearly, it brought him luck!