Based on what we’ve seen at the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Oscar Piastri seems to be Max Verstappen’s main rival in the battle for the world championship. The Australian driver has clearly taken a step forward compared to last year, allowing him to take the lead in the standings after just five races.
This result now creates complications for McLaren in terms of internal team hierarchy. The team’s top management has not hidden the fact that they will soon need to make a decision on the matter. “There will come a time when choices must be made. Last year there were situations where we weren’t clear,” Andrea Stella said a few weeks ago.
That statement clearly refers to what happened during the middle part of last season. At Monza, for example, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri ended up getting in each other’s way, allowing Charles Leclerc to win Ferrari’s home race. That’s something both Stella and Brown hope will not happen again.
There’s a new “problem” at McLaren
Beyond the issue of team orders, there is another topic McLaren will soon have to address. Oscar Piastri is now leading the F1 championship — something that has never happened before — and that could put him under pressure. Pressure is also coming from rivals, with Helmut Marko being the first to question the Australian driver.
“For the first time in his career, he’s the leader of the world championship,” Red Bull’s senior advisor told speedweek.com. “And with performances like those in recent weeks, I feel confident saying he’s Max’s main rival for the title. Now we just have to see whether he can maintain this level throughout the season or not,” Helmut Marko added.
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