Oscar Piastri has been in control of the F1 drivers’ championship since the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April, but his recent performance on the streets of Baku has led to concerns being raised about the Australian within the paddock.
Piastri has notched seven Grand Prix victories so far this season, standing on the top step of the podium two more times than his championship rival Lando Norris, and three more times than the currently in-form Max Verstappen.
However, his lead at the top of the standings over Norris sits at just 25 points, meaning another DNF for the Australian and a race win from his McLaren counterpart in Singapore would see both papaya drivers level on points.
Piastri had a woeful performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with his DNF being registered before a lap was recorded in the Grand Prix, completing a disastrous weekend that also saw him crash out of qualifying on Saturday.
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The F1 paddock believes the pressure of his first title may be “getting to” Oscar Piastri
Piastri was seen to be “carrying himself” differently before his shunt out of the Grand Prix in Baku, suggesting that the pressure of securing his maiden F1 title is starting to get to him.
Speaking on BBC 5 Live’s coverage of FP1 at the Singapore Grand Prix, journalist Rebecca Clancy noted how the F1 paddock shares the sentiment of Piastri succumbing to the pressure, saying, “He was obviously asked about it here in Singapore, and he said, ‘Look, I’m human, and I make mistakes.’
“There’s been a lot of chatter up and down the paddock about whether it’s the pressure getting to him. I think there’s absolutely no doubt he is under pressure. He is fighting for his first world championship.
Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images
“This might be his only chance at a championship with the new regulations coming in next year, and we have no idea what the pecking order will be next season.”
Jolyon Palmer thinks Piastri’s Baku woes may continue in Singapore due to the fact that both tracks are temporary street circuits.
The problem with circuits such as these is due to the lack of runoff areas, which proved to be why Piastri was unable to recover from his lock-up at turn five in Baku.
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Jennie Gow disagrees with the talk about Oscar Piastri “up and down” the F1 paddock
Clancy’s BBC colleague Jennie Gow gave her verdict on the current mindset of the 24-year-old in a preview episode of the Chequered Flag podcast, disagreeing with the current belief inside the Formula 1 paddock.
After being asked if Piastri is getting nervous over how the final rounds of the season will play out, the journalist replied, I don’t think so. He’s so cool and calm, and I know I’m not the sort of person that everyone agrees with, most of the time, especially on this.
“Up and down the paddock, a lot of people are saying, ‘Yes, it’s the stress. It’s the nerves. It’s a big championship. This is his first championship battle he’s going for.’ But actually, I don’t buy it. For me, it wasn’t stress; it was just a bad weekend.
“And he’s only human, as he says himself. And I just think it was one of those blips. He’s learnt a lot from it, but actually, I just don’t think it’s about the pressure. I don’t believe he feels that pressure, because he knows he’s in a winning position at the moment.”
With Verstappen ending up victorious at the previous round of racing, he has thrown his hat into the mix as a potential contender for the title if he is able to keep up the stunning form that has seen him win back-to-back races with a comfortable margin.