In the opinion of former F1 driver and FIA steward Johnny Herbert, Oscar Piastri let a \u201cslam dunk\u201d title win slip away in F1 2025.<\/p>\n
Piastri\u2019s recovery in Qatar and Abu Dhabi means he can reflect on 2025 as a \u201cgreat season\u201d, Herbert concludes. Yet, he believes that \u201cmental strength\u201d is an area which Piastri<\/a> must work on for when he returns in F1 2026, after losing a title which Herbert insists should have been wrapped-up by Piastri.<\/p>\n Oscar Piastri urged to work on \u2018mental strength\u2019<\/p>\n Following the Dutch Grand Prix, Piastri was 34 points clear of McLaren teammate Lando Norris at the top of the Drivers\u2019 Championship. Verstappen, meanwhile, was 104 points off top spot, leaving his chances of a fifth consecutive title seemingly over.<\/p>\n But, the Dutch GP marked the start of a 100 per cent podium streak for Verstappen to season\u2019s end. That run included six Grand Prix wins. Norris meanwhile found another gear after the disappointment of his McLaren breaking down at Zandvoort.<\/p>\n As for Piastri, a six-race podiumless streak derailed his title charge. He returned to form at the final rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, but Norris would seal the crown by two points from Verstappen. Piastri ended the year third, 13 points behind Norris.<\/p>\n To challenge for the Championship in his third F1 season is commendable from Piastri, and Herbert sees title glory in the Australian\u2019s future.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, Herbert, a three-time Grand Prix winner, argues that Piastri should never have let this one get away.<\/p>\n He expects Piastri\u2019s manager, Mark Webber, to work on Piastri\u2019s \u201cmental strength\u201d for F1 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t feel sympathy for Oscar, because he\u2019s achieved a great season, finishing as he has. It was a strong end to the season as well. Had that massively strong start and everything seemed to be in his favour,\u201d Herbert told a gambling platform.<\/p>\n \u201cBut for some reason, he let it fall through his fingers. The quality that we had seen evaporated. It was going so well at that point. A lot of people always talk about his mental strength. But actually, I think it\u2019s the mental strength that probably needs to be strengthened.<\/p>\n \u201cHe missed a slam dunk. He has to get stronger. In the situation he was in, it should have been a done deal.<\/p>\n \u201cMax would not allow that to have happened. Nor did Lando at the end of the day. He grew and took on the mantle of being the team\u2019s number one.<\/p>\n \u201cOscar has got all the [World Champion] ingredients, for sure. There were those races where he wasn\u2019t there and went missing. If he had this mental strength that everybody talks about, that would not have come into play.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was in a car that was able to achieve those race wins. It\u2019s a sign and I am sure Mark Webber is onto this, that he needs to make sure that does not happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n More on Oscar Piastri from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n Oscar Piastri crowned \u2018future World Champion\u2019 by Zak Brown<\/a><\/p>\n Oscar Piastri tells \u2018uncomfortable\u2019 truth about McLaren equality<\/a><\/p>\n McLaren team principal Andrea Stella is certain that \u201cmultiple\u201d World Championship wins are in Piastri\u2019s future.<\/p>\n \u201cLando is Champion. Effectively, we could have had two champions this year. The gap between the two was so small,\u201d Stella told Sky F1.<\/p>\n \u201cI said after qualifying [in Abu Dhabi], I think it was 30 milliseconds, that was the whole story of a season. 30 milliseconds in qualifying. Always so close on track.<\/p>\n \u201cOscar was a worthwhile champion, and he was worthwhile champion [in his] third season in Formula 1. He learned so rapidly. He had a couple of races where he struggled a bit in the famous low-grip tracks. He learned very rapidly what to do. He became immediately competitive again.<\/p>\n \u201cHis trajectory is phenomenal, and definitely we have a future multiple World Champion in Oscar.\u201d<\/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