Oscar Piastri’s worrying change in ‘body language’ proves why he won’t win the 2025 F1 title

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Oscar Piastri now faces a huge uphill battle to win the 2025 Formula 1 championship, having hit a rotten run of form at the worst possible time.

Before the summer break, a lot of people would have tipped the Australian to claim the title, given his incredible start to the season. After all, he had won six races and been off the podium only twice, displaying top qualifying pace and racecraft.

His seventh win of the season at Zandvoort cemented those opinions, especially after Lando Norris retired with a mechanical failure. Damon Hill had Piastri as ‘odds-on’ favourite for the title after the race, but that momentum has now shifted completely.

Since the Dutch GP, Piastri has not beaten his title rivals Norris or Max Verstappen in any of the last six races. Finishing on the podium once in that time, he is now 24 points behind his McLaren teammate.

His team do have to take some responsibility for his drop in form, given the controversy they have caused with team orders. Piastri was told to hand P2 back to Norris after a slow pit stop in Monza, and McLaren did not intervene when the latter hit the former in Singapore.

Furthermore, McLaren blamed Piastri for the crash at COTA, which has caused ‘even more damage’ to his confidence. This has led to a worrying change in his demeanour that will ultimately prove costly in the title fight.

Oscar Piastri looks ‘lost’ and is out of ‘answers’ for his struggles at McLaren

McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ have been playing on Piastri’s mind since Monza. He is also struggling to find the right balance with the MCL39, having had difficulties on low-grip circuits such as COTA, Mexico City and Interlagos.

The combination of these factors have left the 24-year-old ‘lost’ and out of ‘answers’, according to journalist Rachel Brookes. Piastri was previously likened to Kimi Raikkonen with his steely personality, but that seems to be fading rapidly.

“You can see why his performance went down and he can see that. The trouble is he doesn’t seem to have answers how to get over that right now,” said Brookies via Midweek F1.

“That’s the problem. When you look at his body language, when I spoke to him in Mexico, it’s a very different Oscar from the start of the season.

“He looks as though he doesn’t have the answers. Whereas the start of the season, if something went wrong, you felt like he knew where it had gone wrong. But he now looks a little bit lost and they need to really find that quickly if he’s going to stay in this fight.”

Whatever people may think is the cause for Piastri’s drop in form, this change in body language is what will cost him the title. With three races to go, the Australian is cracking under the pressure, and he will see his chances slip away if he cannot rectify the situation.

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

How can Oscar Piastri turn his form around and win the 2025 title?

With 83 points still on the table in 2025, there is plenty of opportunities for the Aussie to get back on track and clinch the championship. But the next race in Las Vegas presents a major problem for McLaren, given their previous struggles at the circuit.

In Piastri’s case, the momentum is no longer on his side, with Norris’ newfound confidence allowing him to dominate races and give himself a healthy gap at the front. He can afford to finish second in every remaining race and still win the title.

His teammate knows that he cannot win the title on his own, and he has the right people around him. Mark Webber has been giving Piastri ‘invaluable’ advice – he knows all too well what it is like to lose a championship from his Red Bull days.

Webber will work to ‘turn around’ Piastri and get him back in the championship hunt. But with his current mood, he will have to act fast before it is too late.