Oscar Piastri’s Unflappable Mentality in the Fight for the F1 Championship
The pressure of the fight for this year’s title doesn’t seem to affect Oscar Piastri. The McLaren driver demonstrates remarkable serenity in his interactions with the media, even after incidents on the track.
After wheel-to-wheel contact with Lando Norris at the Singapore Grand Prix, an incident with possible repercussions in the drivers’ championship between McLaren teammates, Piastri remained calm. Despite being soaked in sweat after 90 minutes of racing in one of the most demanding events in Formula 1, the driver resisted the attempts of journalists to stir up his emotions.
Faced with the question of whether the collision, the result of an attempt by Norris to overtake Piastri, would change his way of racing against his teammate, Piastri’s answer was blunt: “No”.
When asked if he was worried that Norris, who was not reprimanded by McLaren for the contact, might be receiving preferential treatment, the answer was again a “No” without showing any emotion. And when asked if he was worried that the pressure would increase in the fight for the title, the answer was equally direct: “No, I am not”.
Piastri’s ability to remain calm is a quality as captivating as it is disconcerting. This characteristic speaks of a maturity that surpasses his 24 years, of which he has only dedicated three to racing in F1. While some drivers react with anger to setbacks, Piastri seems to defy the circumstances.
Piastri chooses his words carefully because he knows this can be a competitive advantage.
Tom Stallard, Piastri’s race engineer
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella, who worked closely with figures like Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, also believes that Piastri maintains control to gain a competitive advantage.
Oscar Piastri’s ability to manage his emotions has contributed to him leading the F1 drivers’ championship in 2025.
Stella highlights that Piastri’s ability to control his emotions is a quality he has been developing, and not a lack of emotions. “It’s the awareness of your emotions, the way you respond, how you make them visible,” Stella explains.
A Foundation Forged Since Childhood
Piastri’s ability to remain calm could have its roots in his childhood. His family tells stories of a 2-year-old boy obsessed with cars, able to identify any brand. At 6 years old, his father gave him a remote control monster truck, which introduced him to the world of remote control racing, where he won his first national championship at 9 years old.
At 13 years old, Piastri excelled in karting at the national level, and in 2014, he began competing in Europe. To pursue his dream of reaching F1, he had to move to a boarding school in the United Kingdom. His father, Chris, evaluated the future of his son’s career, and Piastri’s performance in an international race in Le Mans, where he reached the podium and achieved the fastest lap, convinced Chris that the sacrifices were worthwhile.
Piastri remembers that race as a turning point, and his father confirmed that he had what it took to succeed. Two years later, Piastri moved to the Haileybury boarding school in the United Kingdom, far from his family in Australia, but he didn’t feel homesick, focused on his goal of competing internationally.
Piastri believes this experience contributed to his ability to manage his emotions under pressure. “I think there’s an element of life experiences, you know? Moving to Europe when I did and I think also the experiences in racing,” says Piastri. “It’s a pretty cutthroat business sometimes, so I think learning the lessons from that and ultimately making me stronger from that, has probably been one of the most important things.”
Removing the Noise
Stella highlights Piastri’s ability to focus on what’s important during a race weekend, reducing external “noise.” This skill, which is easier said than done when racing at over 200 mph, is key to his development in F1.
Stella explains that Piastri has a great processing capacity and that his mind is focused on the essential. Stallard adds that Piastri’s ability to efficiently process information facilitates the team’s work, which in turn allows them to find solutions to help him.
Piastri’s combination of speed, intelligence, and mental fortitude has been key to leading this year’s drivers’ championship. The true test of his composure under pressure will come in the final six races of the season, starting this weekend in Austin, Texas, where he will seek to secure the title against Norris and Max Verstappen.
Stallard, who knows what it’s like to fight for a career goal, believes the key is to focus on the strengths that got him there. “I think we are well placed to handle that pressure. The pressure is going to increase, but people say that pressure is a privilege,” said Stallard. “That pressure is something you have worked for, let’s say, 10 years, or more, to be in a position where you can have that pressure. And it’s very rare that you become world champion without being able to withstand that pressure.”
