Oscar Piastri led the Drivers\u2019 Championship for large parts of F1 2025, but ultimately, it was McLaren teammate Lando Norris who became World Champion.<\/p>\n
Both drivers played the team game as part of McLaren\u2019s commitment to providing a level playing field for their title combatants. But, with Piastri<\/a> the driver to suffer title defeat, he has been urged by Damon Hill to return in F1 2026 with a \u201cthink of myself\u201d message to McLaren.<\/p>\n Oscar Piastri needs to think of himself, claims Damon Hill<\/p>\n Piastri went into the Abu Dhabi title decider in a three-way scrap for the crown, which also included Norris and Max Verstappen.<\/p>\n Piastri had the most work to do out of that trio, and a runner-up result to Verstappen could not prevent him finishing third in the standings.<\/p>\n That is despite Piastri, at one stage, emerging as the overwhelming title favourite. He was 34 points clear out front after the Dutch GP, but a late-season slump in form, all while Norris and Verstappen rallied, turned the title fight on its head.<\/p>\n Despite the question marks raised, McLaren was ultimately vindicated for its decision not to prioritise either driver\u2019s Championship quest.<\/p>\n That fairness blueprint did lead to some polarising decisions, most notably at Monza, where Piastri was asked to let Norris back through after a slow stop for Norris \u2013 who had pitted after Piastri despite being ahead on the road \u2013 dropped him behind the Aussie.<\/p>\n Piastri obliged, but Hill \u2013 the 1996 World Champion \u2013 is urging Piastri to respectfully put himself first when he looks to mount a fresh title challenge in 2026.<\/p>\n Asked on the Drive to Wynn podcast how Piastri would have been feeling following Abu Dhabi, Hill replied: \u201cI think he probably felt the worst he was going to feel after Qatar. I think he could not believe what had happened there.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s had some misfortune, you have to say, and he\u2019s lost out because of some decisions with McLaren trying to be fair.<\/p>\n \u201cFor example, Lando had a bad pit stop, Monza, and he was asked to kind of give the place back, and, wow. I mean, that\u2019s a big thing to do, isn\u2019t it, to give points away to a guy you could be fighting for the World Championship.<\/p>\n \u201cHe will probably look at that and go, \u2018Well, maybe I won\u2019t do that again.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cNext year, if I was him, I\u2019d be coming back, and saying, \u2018Listen, I love the team, and it\u2019s been great, but I have to think of myself. It\u2019s my career.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIf the situation arises and you\u2019re asking me to return points to my teammate, you have to ask yourself, why would I do that? \u2018I can\u2019t afford to do that. I did it last year, and it could have cost me the World Championship.’\u201d<\/p>\n Oscar Piastri vs Lando Norris: Final head-to-head standings<\/p>\n F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates<\/a><\/p>\n F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates<\/a><\/p>\n Piastri was in a positive frame of mind when he reflected on his season following the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi. He confirmed that he had \u201cplenty of lessons to take to the future\u201d after his experiences in F1 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, I would have wished for a slightly different ending, but I think this year I\u2019ve learned a hell of a lot about myself as a race car driver, myself as a person,\u201d he told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media outlets.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if you had presented this season at the start of the year with the pole positions and the wins and the podiums, I definitely would have been pretty happy with that.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I think even in the tough moments, I\u2019ve learned a lot about myself and how I can be stronger in the future.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, I think, ultimately, there\u2019s a little bit of disappointment, obviously, but I think I can be very proud of the season I\u2019ve had and plenty of lessons to take to the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked for his thoughts on Norris\u2019 achievement, Piastri added: \u201cI think a very deserving winner.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that every weekend I go on track, it\u2019s going to be tough. And I think we\u2019ve pushed each other through the last three years. I think especially this season has been tighter than ever.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019s had a great season. Probably all three of us [Piastri, Norris and Verstappen], but obviously, myself and Lando in the same team, in the same car, have had our ups and downs at different moments.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, I think he\u2019s had a good season and a deserving champion.\u201d<\/p>\n Additional reporting by Mat Coch<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n