Oscar Piastri was his own worst enemy during a disappointing weekend at the United States Grand Prix, according to esteemed F1 commentator Martin Brundle.
Piastri gave up points to title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris with a fifth-place finish, while that duo finished first and second.
Verstappen also clawed back more ground in the world championship fight by taking out the sprint race, while Piastri took out his McLaren teammate at the first corner.
Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every practice, qualifying session and race in the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
The McLaren hierarchy directed their anger and frustration at Nico Hulkenberg, who made the initial contact with Piastri that led to him colliding with Norris.
But Brundle believes Hulkenberg was not completely culpable.
“The Piastri crash in turn one was unfortunate, but I believe he was predominantly to blame,” Brundle wrote for Sky Sports.
“This corner rises steeply by 40 metres, is very wide at the entry point but narrow at the apex, and only a little wider on the exit albeit with some scruffy run off space if required.
“This first corner is also the best chance to gain positions for the rest of the race, and so all the ingredients are there for multiple contacts.
“Verstappen had the perfect Sprint start, Norris alongside on the dirtier side of the track less so, but he was still able to release the brakes a little and claim the corner before his faster-starting teammate Piastri.”
Piastri and Norris collide at turn one | 02:31
Brundle continued that it was understandable that Piastri was hellbent on overtaking Norris early, but he was overzealous as there simply was not enough room to execute such a move.
“Intent on making the most of Norris’s tighter entry, which would inevitably mean he’d run wide on the exit, Piastri slowed and then turned very hard to go underneath his championship rival,” Brundle wrote.
“This zone invites and promotes contact, never more so than at the start when the pack is close.
“What Piastri did was textbook driving when in normal combat up at turn one, but not at the start as there’s virtually guaranteed to be one or more cars trying to out-brake each other into that space. And there’s no capacity for those cars to slow further or change direction quickly.
“Piastri was very focused on his championship rival, and the pack simply bit him.
“The crying shame for McLaren and Norris is that the now two-wheeling Piastri broke his rear wheel along with his own front suspension. With Verstappen out front it was the worst-case scenario for them.”
‘Far too close’ – Oscar calls for parity | 03:25
‘WEIGHED DOWN’ MCLAREN HEAD TO MAX’S FORTRESS
Max Verstappen chases a fourth win in five starts this weekend as he bids to heap more pressure on McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the Mexico City Grand Prix, one of his most rewarding tracks.
Red Bull’s four-time world champion, who has won five times in seven years at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, has cut Piastri’s lead ahead of him, in third place, from 104 points to 40 since August with a scintillating burst of form.
Piastri still leads teammate Norris by 14 points, but he has lost his metronomic consistency and, as McLaren appear to be floundering to match Red Bull for pace, he appears also, like Norris, to be weighed down by the pressure of the title battle.
After finishing on the podium in every race bar one since the season-opener in Australia, his last three results have been a retirement, fourth and fifth.
His qualifying form has deteriorated at a similar rate.
Norris has also struggled for consistency, but appeared in Texas last weekend to have regained some confidence and pace as he finished second behind Verstappen, who had started from pole and also won the sprint.
He remains, however, without a win since the Hungarian race in August. “They are weighed down with this looming battle,” said former IndyCar driver and prominent analyst James Hinchcliffe, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast.
“Even Red Bull in 2024, started the season strong, but once McLaren caught up… you started seeing their pit stops falter a little bit…
“Pressure is an interesting thing. You always want to be the hunted because it means you’ve got the points lead, but passing is tough in F1 — on track and in a championship.”
‘F***** idiot!’ – Sainz & Kimi clash | 00:55
– ‘With Max it can happen’ –
With the experience of four title triumphs, Verstappen heads into the season’s run-in knowing what to expect and enjoying himself.
“If it comes down to the last race and they are tight on points, maybe in that moment Max is the man to follow,” said two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
“The McLarens have enough car advantage to fight between them, but with Max it can happen as in 2021.” While Red Bull bid to snatch glory from McLaren in Mexico’s thin air and the final races, Ferrari travel in hope of an unlikely repeat of their last victory, claimed by Carlos Sainz in Mexico a year ago.
His successor Lewis Hamilton has yet to claim a podium in 19 races while teammate Charles Leclerc has had six, including third last Sunday when Hamilton was fourth.
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur praised Hamilton’s strong performance throughout the weekend, suggesting the 40-year-old Briton was back to his best as he seeks a third win in Mexico’s carnival atmosphere.
Given that and McLaren team boss Andrea Stella’s admission that Mexico is not a venue that will favour his team, Piastri and Norris are likely to endure another nerve-shredding weekend that reduces their advantage as they seek a first title double for McLaren since 1998.
Mercedes, with George Russell in form and also capable of claiming an upset win, lead the fight for second in the lucrative constructors’ title race by seven points from Ferrari with Red Bull third, three points further adrift.
An unpredictable and dramatic high-speed contest, at more than 2,200 metres above sea level, is in prospect.