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Oscar Piastri’s shocking downfall: did McLaren’s bias sabotage his title hopes against Norris?

David Castro by David Castro
January 7, 2026
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
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Oscar Piastri’s shocking downfall: did McLaren’s bias sabotage his title hopes against Norris?

Formula One F1 - Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria - June 29, 2025 McLaren's Oscar Piastri after finishing in second place in the Austrian Grand Prix REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki

Oscar Piastri: The Rising Star Crushed by ‘Unconscious Bias’ at McLaren!

In the cutthroat world of Formula 1, where speed and precision rule the roost, the saga of Oscar Piastri’s championship struggle against teammate Lando Norris has taken a shocking twist. Marcin Budkowski, a former executive director known for his deep insight into the inner workings of F1, has dropped a bombshell claim: Piastri may have fallen victim to “unconscious bias” from his own team, McLaren!

Budkowski, who has a wealth of experience having spent seven pivotal years at McLaren before moving to the FIA and then to Renault/Alpine, shared his controversial views on the RacingNews365 podcast. He dissected the dramatic downfall of Piastri, who at one point held a staggering 34-point lead over Norris and a jaw-dropping 104-point gap to reigning champion Max Verstappen after clinching his seventh victory at the Dutch Grand Prix.

But what happened next was nothing short of catastrophic for the young Australian driver. Piastri’s golden season spiraled downward as he failed to secure another win, managing only three additional podium finishes. By the end of the season, he found himself in a disheartening third place in the drivers’ standings, trailing Norris by 13 points and Verstappen by 11.

Budkowski argues that a myriad of factors contributed to this shocking collapse, including technical difficulties related to track conditions and Piastri’s unique driving style. “It’s a mix between the actual driving style and the way to extract performance from the car,” he explained, hinting at the complexities that can derail even the most talented drivers.

However, the plot thickens as Budkowski suggests that Piastri’s mental state may have also played a crucial role in his downfall. He highlighted the catastrophic Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, where Piastri made uncharacteristic errors, crashing in both qualifying and the race. “We were marveling at such a young driver being so strong mentally,” Budkowski noted, but the shocking mistakes in Baku raised questions about Piastri’s confidence.

While he refrained from labeling it as a definitive mental block, the implications are clear: the pressures of Formula 1 may have taken their toll on the young driver. “It feels like there was a mental element there, especially in Baku, with a spectacular mistake that wasn’t typical of him,” he stated, casting a shadow over what was once a bright future for Piastri.

As the dust settles on a season filled with highs and lows, the questions remain. Was McLaren’s bias against Piastri a contributing factor to his downfall? Can he bounce back and reclaim his status as one of F1’s brightest talents? The answers to these burning questions may very well determine the trajectory of his career in the fast-paced world of Formula 1. Stay tuned as this story continues to unfold!

Tags: 1958-formula-1-season2025-mclaren-f1-championshipLando Norrismax-verstappen-enOscar Piastri
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