Johnny Herbert: Oscar Piastri shows cracks under pressure, McLaren exploiting ‘papaya rules’. Johnny Herbert analyses Oscar Piastri’s performance in Singapore.

Oscar Piastri feels the heat as McLaren strategies test his composure, according to Johnny Herbert.

Piastri under pressure

Oscar Piastri is learning what it means to be under the spotlight during the most intense moments of the championship. While the Australian driver has already experienced high-pressure situations in the junior categories — winning on his first attempt in both F3 and F2 — Formula 1 brings a whole new level of scrutiny and expectation. Managing this pressure until the end of the season would demonstrate the true mental strength of the #81, but between Baku and Singapore, mistakes and visible nerves have taken their toll.

For Johnny Herbert, Piastri remains a driver with a very strong mentality, but even his renowned composure, shown throughout his career, has been seriously tested in recent weeks. Recovering that calm will be essential starting in Austin to avoid losing his grip on the championship battle.

Johnny Herbert’s analysis

“To be in a position to win a championship, sometimes you have to be tough. Lando Norris has been criticised in the past for not being hard enough, but what happened in Singapore was a real clash. Honestly, it was Piastri himself who put himself in that position by closing in on Max, who forced him a little wide and caused him to lose momentum, allowing Lando to pass on the inside,” Johnny Herbert told BettingLounge. “They made contact, but I think that’s what fans want to see, and it’s exactly what I would expect from drivers of the calibre of Oscar and Lando. It was strange that he complained over the radio — they’re using the ‘papaya rules’ to try to gain an advantage.”

“It wasn’t a perfect result for Lando, but he finished ahead of Oscar. The gap is now down to 22 points, putting pressure on him. We’re seeing those tiny cracks caused by the pressure that Oscar is under. The icy, composed Piastri that everyone talked about at the start of the season is no longer there. The pressure is mounting, and in these situations, a mentally strong driver takes the hit but retains the positivity needed to tackle the next race.”