Oscar Piastri impresses in F1 2025 title race, yet Max Verstappen remains the benchmark for McLaren and Red Bull rivals alike.
Oscar Piastri is impressive, but he is “not yet” on the level of his 2025 world title rival Max Verstappen.
That is the opinion of Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s long-time Formula 1 advisor, who increasingly names championship leader Piastri as the standout driver at McLaren.
“Piastri has learned incredibly quickly,” said Marko when presented with the idea that the Australian is now the favourite for this season’s Formula 1 crown.
“He prepares well, he’s tough in decisive moments, whereas Norris is more of a driver who tries and makes mistakes, and he doesn’t show the same consistency.”
“Piastri is an analytical type of driver, naturally calm. Very little unsettles him. But he’s not yet on Max’s level.”
The Austrian pointed to Monaco as a key example, where Norris was “clearly stronger” behind the wheel of the McLaren.
“He has his ups and downs,” Marko continued about Piastri, who leads Norris by ten points at the top of the drivers’ standings.
He did acknowledge, however, that comparing Piastri to Verstappen might be “perhaps unfair,” as he sees the four-time world champion as “the perfect driver.”
Still, he is impressed not only by Piastri’s speed but also by his calculated approach, such as when the driver noticed Verstappen was on new hard tyres behind the safety car in Barcelona.
“We couldn’t get them up to temperature. Piastri also drove slowly before the restart. Despite his young age, he is an experienced driver and he knew Max was on hard tyres.”
Marko admits that if Red Bull fails to quickly improve its car, Verstappen’s run toward a fifth consecutive drivers’ title “will eventually come to an end.”
“And in the constructors’ championship, we’ve already written off the final victory. We have no chance anymore. Yuki Tsunoda is only slowly gaining momentum.”
