Piastri Isn’t Focused on Leading the Championship

Oscar Piastri leads the F1 championship but stays focused, saying the real goal is winning races, not watching the standings.

Piastri might be leading the World Championship for the first time in his F1 career, but he’s not letting that distract him. After a composed and clinical win at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the McLaren driver is now a genuine title contender—but for him, the bigger satisfaction came simply from crossing the finish line first.

“Honestly, it was just about getting the win,” Piastri admitted. “It wasn’t an easy race. The start was tricky, and the first stint behind Max [Verstappen] wasn’t straightforward either. Once I had some clean air, things got more manageable, but I still couldn’t relax.”

While many expected McLaren to have a clear edge, Red Bull kept them under pressure. Piastri confirmed the race was far from a walk in the park—even with Verstappen serving a penalty.

“It was tough. Max was quick behind me, so I had to keep pushing. I think I managed the race well overall, but it was tighter than I would’ve liked.”

Interestingly, Piastri posted the fastest lap of the race on the very last lap. So, did he have more in the tank?

“Maybe. I’m not sure how long I could’ve kept that pace. I already felt I was pushing pretty hard, and on the final lap, I just wanted to see what was possible. But it wasn’t worth taking a crazy risk either. Our pace in clean air was solid, but at the end of the Medium stint, Max was all over me. So we weren’t quite as dominant as I hoped, but still good enough.”

He added that winning in Jeddah felt particularly sweet.

“I’m happy to win anywhere—ideally at every circuit! But I’ve always liked this place, even back in my F2 days. It’s a fast, rewarding track where commitment really pays off. It’s a great feeling to win here.”

While Lando Norris felt Red Bull had the faster car in race trim, Piastri saw it differently.

“I think we were quicker,” he responded. “It was just hard being in dirty air. Max was definitely faster than I expected during the race. On a single lap, it wasn’t surprising, but I didn’t think I’d struggle that much on the Mediums at the end. We’ve got some work to do.”

Still, Piastri believes McLaren holds the upper hand overall.

“I think we’ve got a great car. If you compare this track to Suzuka, they’re the most similar so far—and those are exactly the two races where Max and Red Bull were closest. So we’ve still got an edge, maybe not as big on certain circuits, but we’re in a strong place right now.”

The Start Made All the Difference

One of the defining moments of the race was right off the line. Piastri nailed his start and immediately put Verstappen under pressure, forcing the Red Bull driver into the error that earned him a 5-second penalty.

“I got a great launch and pulled alongside him. From that point, I knew I had to brake really late—but I was far enough up the inside to claim the corner,” Piastri explained. “We both braked super late, but I stayed on the track and I think the stewards handled it fairly.”

New Status? Same Mindset

So, does leading the championship change anything for Oscar?

Not really.

“No, I still go out there to win every race. Like I’ve said before, I don’t care too much about being at the top right now. I’m proud of the work we’ve done and the reasons why we’re leading. That’s what matters more.”

“Melbourne wasn’t the strongest start in terms of results, but I’ve felt really good ever since this season began. Being P1 is a result of all the effort we put in during the winter—both from me personally and the entire team. That’s what I’m proud of. In the end, the only time it really matters to be leading is after race 24, not after race 5.”

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Piastri Isn’t Focused on Leading the Championship Piastri Isn’t Focused on Leading the Championship