James Hinchcliffe sees clear reason why Oscar Piastri is ‘very well positioned’ to win 2026 F1 title

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Oscar Piastri came close to winning his maiden Formula 1 title in 2025, but a dip in form saw him lose to Lando Norris by 13 points.

The Australian had led the standings for 15 out of 24 races in 2025, winning five of the opening nine races. He looked in a commanding position to win the championship after he claimed his seventh win of the year at Zandvoort.

Carlos Sainz thinks Piastri caught Norris off guard with how competitive he was in 2025. However, the 24-year-old could not maintain his advantage and dropped the ball in the final nine races.

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Team order controversy at Monza proved costly for the Aussie, before a disastrous weekend in Azerbaijan set him on a downward trend. McLaren boss Andrea Stella says ‘hesitations’ crept in for Piastri in Baku, which ultimately proved costly.

With just three podiums in the last nine events, Piastri finished P3 behind Norris and Max Verstappen in the standings. It was a devastating blow considering how far ahead he was at one stage, but he will be looking to right the wrongs in 2026.

James Hinchcliffe thinks Oscar Piastri is ‘very well positioned’ to win the 2026 F1 title

McLaren will be looking to maintain their advantage over the field in 2026 with the new regulations. If they remain the dominant force, Piastri should be in a position to win the championship.

James Hinchcliffe thinks the Aussie is ‘very well positioned’ to win the title next season after looking at how his teammate Norris learned how to fight Verstappen.

The Brit lost to the Red Bull driver in 2024 by 63 points and got the edge over him in 2025. Hinchcliffe thinks Piastri can do the same in 2026 if he has the machinery behind him.

He wrote on the official F1 website: “All that said, 2025 has been a breakthrough year for Piastri. A man just 70 races into his F1 career took the fight all the way to the end against Verstappen and Norris, who won their first titles after 141 and 152 starts respectively.

“When you look at the natural progression he made from season two to season three, and hear how much Norris credited ultimately losing the title in a fight with Verstappen in 2024 helped prepare him for 2025, Piastri is very well positioned to be a championship contender regularly in the future.

“If McLaren can deliver a car capable of race wins under the new-for-2026 regulations, expect quick-learner Piastri to take another step forward and put together another strong title tilt.”

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

What cost Oscar Piastri the 2025 F1 title?

Several factors proved costly for the 24-year-old in 2025. Team orders did not help his case, but Piastri made countless mistakes that ultimately hampered his title aspirations.

McLaren engineers believe Piastri’s ‘driving style’ cost him in 2025. The MCL39 proved a difficult car to handle for the Aussie, particularly in the low-grip circuits.

Piastri had to make an unnatural change to his approach as a result of the car’s characteristics. It saw him fall behind his teammate and out of contention for the championship.

But the Aussie can take pride in his season, especially with the improvements he made from 2024. Jolyon Palmer saluted Piastri’s qualifying progress in 2025 as he closed the gap to Norris – continuing that momentum could be key for his success in 2026.