Ralf Schumacher thinks Oscar Piastri ‘hopes’ Max Verstappen wins 2025 F1 title over Lando Norris

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Oscar Piastri feels like an outsider in the 2025 Formula 1 title picture, sitting third in the standings heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Australian had a 34-point lead after his victory at Zandvoort. Having not won again and only been on the podium twice since that race, Piastri is now 16 points behind McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

Max Verstappen is between them in P2, 12 points behind the latter after he claimed victory in Qatar. McLaren’s strategy blunder under the safety car denied Piastri what could have been a comfortable win.

Who do you think will clinch the 2025 title this weekend?

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It was so clearly there for the taking that McLaren should pay Piastri a win bonus for the Qatar GP. But the damage is already done, and the 24-year-old heads to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix frustrated over his situation.

Piastri looked in control of the championship in the first half of the season. But controversy over team radios and resulting crashes have swung the momentum in his teammate’s favour.

Oscar Piastri ‘hopes’ Max Verstappen beats Lando Norris to the 2025 title, reckons Ralf Schumacher

The Aussie was not happy after the Qatar GP, and some believe he will channel that anger towards the other side of the McLaren garage. Matteo Bobbi claims Piastri will try to ‘trip up’ Norris and stop him from winning the championship.

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher also believes that the 24-year-old will not want his teammate to win the title. The German claims that Piastri ‘hopes’ Verstappen takes the crown.

He told Formel.1.de: “So, of course, I think from his point of view, he hopes that Max Verstappen becomes world champion, because having your teammate as world champion is, of course, anything but nice, no question about it.

“But he has to live with that. He has that in his hands and has obviously also messed up a few things. He showed his nerves, people didn’t think he was capable of it, they said he was the Iceman.

“That was obviously not the case, because the closer he got to the title, the more, I think, he pushed and then maybe ran over the car, but thank God he found it.

“However, I believe that in Abu Dhabi, from my point of view, Lando Norris will be better again because the track suits him better.”

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

Will Oscar Piastri adhere to team orders in Abu Dhabi?

F1 fans have picked Verstappen to win the 2025 title by an overwhelming margin. The Red Bull star carries the momentum into Abu Dhabi after McLaren’s disaster in Qatar.

It would be a complete failure from the Woking outfit if they lost the drivers’ championship. Their drivers will be gunning for the title in Abu Dhabi, but David Croft reckons Piastri will back Norris into the pack in a last-ditch attempt to come out on top.

McLaren are not planning to use team orders this weekend, giving both drivers the freedom to race each other while they have the chance to win the championship. But given Norris’ 16-point lead, that could change depending on the race.

Zak Brown says team orders will be discussed internally, which Piastri will not want to hear; he will want to avoid papaya rules at all costs. Whether he will adhere to instructions from the pit wall if it comes to it is another question.