Ex-F1 team principal predicts Piastri will claim the championship in 2025.

      "They will set the two drivers against one another."

      A former Formula 1 manager and team principal with a long history in the sport is predicting that Oscar Piastri will maintain his new championship lead right through to the conclusion of 2025. Germany’s Sport1 inquired of Franz Tost, the former head at Racing Bulls and someone whose F1 career began while supporting Ralf Schumacher at Williams, to select his ideal drivers for a hypothetical Tost F1 team. "I would always choose Max (Verstappen)," he stated. "But among the others, Oscar Piastri."

      In just his third season in F1, the composed Piastri, 24, seized the championship lead from his McLaren teammate Lando Norris in Jeddah, although many perceive the arguably less mentally resilient Norris as still having a speed advantage. Regarding Verstappen's chances of overtaking them both to secure a fifth consecutive world championship this year, Tost remarked, "Red Bull is introducing a significant update in Imola to noticeably enhance the car. Let's hope it benefits them." However, if it doesn't go as planned, McLaren will face the challenging responsibility of managing a Piastri-Norris contest for the top prize in Formula 1. "Essentially, McLaren has a privileged dilemma," noted the 69-year-old Tost, who retired at the end of 2023. "They possess the best car, two exceptionally skilled drivers, and their primary objective is to win the constructors’ championship. Thus, they will have to pit the two drivers against each other up to a certain limit. I believe Piastri will come out on top," declared the Austrian. "He has incredible fundamental speed, similar to Norris, but he is mentally much tougher than Norris. Therefore, Piastri has a significant chance of clinching the championship this year."

      Tost also mentioned he is observing an intriguing team battle in 2025 between Ferrari newcomer Lewis Hamilton, 40, and his significantly younger, yet firmly established teammate Charles Leclerc. "He needs to achieve more consistency," Tost said, referring to the 27-year-old Leclerc. "One thing is clear—if he wants to win races and the world championship, he must outpace Hamilton. Because, without undermining Hamilton's abilities, Leclerc is familiar with the team, and the age gap works in his favor. Should Hamilton win the face-off, Leclerc would lose some of his status. The same holds true for Norris if he is defeated by Piastri at McLaren."

      Hamilton is currently facing challenges in adapting to a Ferrari after years with Mercedes, but Tost perceives that the majority of the pressure lies on Leclerc's shoulders. When asked if Hamilton can afford a loss against his teammate, Tost replied, "You can never afford to lose! But there is a crucial age difference. That's why Leclerc must come out on top."