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Guenther Steiner has never been one to mince words, and he’s not starting now. The former Haas team principal, known for his blunt honesty on Netflix’s Drive to Survive, has delivered a stinging verdict on Oscar Piastri’s recent form. Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner said the McLaren driver’s performances are “simply not good enough to win a world championship”, and that his confidence seems to be slipping fast.
The rise that stunned the grid
When the 2025 season began, Piastri looked like a revelation. Calm, precise and fearless, the Australian stunned the paddock with four wins in the opening five races. While teammate Lando Norris struggled to find rhythm, Piastri seemed ready to challenge Max Verstappen head-on. For a while, it felt like McLaren’s future had arrived early.
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But Formula 1 seasons are long and merciless. Since the summer break, Piastri’s momentum has evaporated. Mistakes crept in, podiums slipped away, and by Mexico, he had lost the championship lead to Norris, who claimed his fourth win of the season.
For Steiner, it was a defining moment. “It just wasn’t good enough to be world champion,” he said flatly. “He’s struggling right now, and I’m not sure why. But one thing’s clear, without the team’s full backing, he’s lost a bit of his mojo.”
Pressure from within McLaren
According to Steiner, Piastri began the season with freedom, and no real expectations. “He started in Norris’s shadow,” Steiner explained. “Lando fought Verstappen for the title last year and was seen as McLaren’s natural leader. That gave Oscar the advantage of surprise. Nobody was watching him too closely, so he drove with no pressure.”
The results spoke for themselves. Calm under fire, quick in qualifying, ruthless in wheel-to-wheel combat, Piastri looked like the complete package. But as his success grew, so did the spotlight. And that, Steiner believes, changed everything.
“Once people started talking about him as a title contender, the pressure flipped,” he said. “He began to overthink things. Now every race feels like a test, not an opportunity.”
A confidence crisis
The data backs up Steiner’s claim. Since Zandvoort, Piastri has taken only one podium finish and retired from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his first DNF since his rookie season. Norris, meanwhile, has gone on a tear, collecting wins in Australia, Monaco, Austria, Great Britain, Hungary and most recently Mexico.
“I think all the talk about these ‘papaya rules’, when to let your teammate pass, when to attack, that’s affected him,” Steiner said. “He’s lost some confidence. You can see it in how he approaches qualifying. He’s hesitating more.”
It’s a familiar story in Formula 1. The moment one driver in a team gets momentum, the other starts questioning every detail, setups, strategy, even internal politics. McLaren insists there’s parity between its drivers, but Steiner suspects Piastri senses otherwise.
Mexico: the moment the tide turned
At the Mexican Grand Prix, the contrast between the two McLarens was stark. Norris started fifth and converted it into a commanding victory, while Piastri could manage no better than fifth after starting seventh.
“If you qualify like that, you’ve got no chance,” Steiner said bluntly. “He just didn’t put the lap together. That’s the difference between being good and being great.”
It was a subtle but brutal reminder of how fine the margins are at the top of Formula 1. One imperfect session can cost a driver their entire weekend, and, over time, their belief.
Can Piastri recover?
The good news for Piastri is that his raw speed hasn’t vanished. Insiders at McLaren describe him as “laser-focused” and “analytical,” qualities that helped him dominate junior categories. But even the most methodical drivers can lose their edge under pressure.
“Piastri reminds me a bit of Charles Leclerc,” Steiner mused. “Incredibly talented, but maybe too clean at times. You need a bit of fight, a bit of arrogance, to win a world championship.”
That might sound harsh, but Steiner knows what it takes to survive in Formula 1. His Haas years were filled with underdog battles, where mental resilience often mattered more than machinery. “You can’t afford to doubt yourself,” he said. “The moment you do, the others smell blood.”
Norris’s golden run
While Piastri’s form has dipped, Norris has found another gear. With six wins this season and a slender lead in the standings, he’s rediscovered the sharpness that once made him Verstappen’s closest rival. In the past four races, Norris has outscored both Piastri and Verstappen, and his confidence is growing with every lap.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer. Norris looks liberated, while Piastri appears increasingly cautious, a dynamic that can quickly snowball inside a team fighting for championships.
Brazil: a chance for redemption
Piastri’s next opportunity comes this weekend in São Paulo, a track that rewards bravery and adaptability. Interlagos has seen countless title twists, from Hamilton’s first crown to Verstappen’s rain-soaked masterclasses. For Piastri, it’s the perfect place to remind everyone, including his critics, that he still belongs in this fight.
Steiner’s comments may sting, but they also highlight the expectations now surrounding the young Australian. Nobody doubts his talent; the question is whether he can handle the storm that comes with it.
If he can find that early-season calm again, McLaren might yet have two title contenders on its hands. But if Steiner is right, Piastri risks finishing this campaign as just another brilliant driver who blinked when it mattered most.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
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