Former F1 driver Romain Grosjean has shared his thoughts on Oscar Piastri’s challenging period after the Italian Grand Prix, admitting he struggled to understand the Australian’s sudden decline, but remains confident that Piastri can still become a world champion.
The post-summer slump
The first half of the 2025 championship concluded with McLaren in dominant form, and Oscar Piastri emerging as the favorite to claim the drivers’ title. The Australian seemed to have accumulated enough advantage to manage the season effectively after the summer break, but an unexpected collapse occurred instead. Alongside the resurgence of Max Verstappen, the 24-year-old lost his lead to teammate Lando Norris, finishing third behind Verstappen in the standings.
Was it a relative at the wheel?
This slump has puzzled both fans and former drivers alike. In an interview with beIN Sports, Swiss-French ex-F1 driver Romain Grosjean offered his perspective on Oscar Piastri’s performance, but admitted he could not fully understand the decline from September onwards: “Oscar Piastri is the one I don’t understand this year,” he commented. “He was very, very, very strong before the summer break, but after Monza, for four or five races, it felt like his cousin was driving. In Qatar, we saw Oscar again: the fastest on track and in pole position. He didn’t win the race, but that weekend didn’t matter. Oscar was back, and he seemed solid even in Abu Dhabi. By that point, however, he had lost too much ground.”
A future world champion
Despite a disappointing evolution in the latter part of the season, Grosjean remains convinced of Oscar Piastri’s potential to become a world champion: “He is still very young and has only been in F1 for a few years,” he added. “He has shown many positive qualities and still has a lot to offer. When you have a 34-point lead and finish 13 points behind, it’s not what you expect, but he will learn from this experience. He has shown that in certain moments, for four or five races, he wasn’t at the level he wanted, but if he repeats what he does well and solves the problems, he will be a world champion.”
While the “cousin” at the wheel may have cost him the 2025 crown, the consensus in the paddock remains that Oscar Piastri possesses the elite speed necessary to reach the pinnacle of the sport. As McLaren looks toward 2026, the focus will be on ensuring that the “real” Oscar remains in the cockpit for the duration of the entire season.
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