Sports · Motorsport · 44 mins ago
Piastri misses the pressure of fighting for the F1 title
Oscar Piastri says he misses the pressure of a title fight after falling out of contention in Formula 1 this season.
Last year, the McLaren driver led the standings for much of the season but finished third, behind champion Lando Norris and runner-up Max Verstappen.
Piastri is seventh, 94 points behind Norris, with three races remaining.
He says this season is more relaxed, but the stress of competing for a championship is a feeling he wants to have.
McLaren has struggled with its car under the new regulations, which have changed the cars and their power units.
The team has made progress recently, and Norris won in Brazil, but Piastri says the car is still difficult to drive.
McLaren will keep working to improve the car as the season’s final three races approach.
Oscar Piastri says he misses the pressure of competing for the Formula 1 world championship.
The McLaren driver says that pressure signals he is fighting for a goal, although being outside the title race has made this season more relaxed.
Piastri is seventh in the drivers’ standings, 94 points behind team-mate Lando Norris with three races remaining.
He finished third in last year’s standings, behind champion Norris and runner-up Max Verstappen.
Piastri says McLaren has gradually made progress with a difficult-to-drive car under the new regulations.
- Who
- Oscar Piastri, the McLaren driver.
- What
- He says he misses the pressure of fighting for the Formula 1 title.
- When
- This season, with three races remaining. The article was published on 11 November 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- He says the pressure comes from fighting for a goal, and he misses that feeling.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Piastri led the standings for much of the season before finishing third, behind Norris and Verstappen.
Piastri is seventh in the standings, 94 points behind Norris, with three races remaining.
McLaren made a jump in performance, and Norris won in Brazil.
Motorsport.com published Piastri’s comments about missing the pressure of a title fight.
- Current standing
- Seventh
- Gap to Norris
- 94 points
- Races remaining
- 3
- Last season’s finish
- Piastri third; Norris champion; Verstappen second
- Recent win
- Lando Norris won in Brazil
What people are saying
I want to be in a championship fight every year if I can be, but also, it's definitely a bit more relaxed this year.
But that stress that you have in a championship fight is the feeling you want because it means you're fighting for something that is what your goal is.
I am missing that feeling this year for sure, and it adds a bit of extra intensity and things like that.