Max Verstappen’s championship odds stronger than Oscar Piastri’s, say analysts. Oscar Piastri’s recent struggles give Max Verstappen a seemingly stronger chance to fight for the F1 2025 title.

Max Verstappen looks more likely to challenge for the F1 title than Piastri
Let’s be clear: this is meant as a provocation. However, Oscar Piastri’s difficult stretch from Monza onwards invites this kind of analysis. Here’s why.

Another tough weekend for Oscar Piastri
The recent race weekend saw the Australian make two further mistakes, both during the Sprint and in the early stages of Sunday’s Grand Prix, resulting in a retirement and an unremarkable fifth place. This was enough to lose 23 points to teammate Lando Norris, whose strong form now raises concerns for the 2001-born driver.

Particularly telling was the ten-second penalty Oscar Piastri received for causing contact with Kimi Antonelli, which also forced the innocent Charles Leclerc to retire. These incidents highlight a driver still struggling to regain the calm and focus needed to compete for the championship until the end. Statistics underline this: since Monza, following his last victory at Zandvoort, Oscar Piastri would currently rank sixth in the Drivers’ Championship, with just 57 points.

Max Verstappen’s temperament gives him an edge
Considering this context, it seems paradoxical that, despite being 49 points behind the leader, Max Verstappen’s temperament suggests he might have a better chance of reaching the top compared to a Oscar Piastri still bogged down by post-Baku issues. Max, however, suffers from the fact that Red Bull’s resurgence came too late in the season to fully capitalize on his potential advantage.