Piastri triumphing in the 'psychological' battle in '25 - Prost

      "Things were already like that in my time."

      The year 2025 is becoming a psychological showdown between the contrasting personalities within the Papaya-coloured McLaren cockpits. The composed and serene Oscar Piastri secured his third consecutive grand prix victory on Sunday, putting him a full 16 points ahead of his teammate and former championship leader, Lando Norris.

      However, Norris expressed his frustration—along with a middle finger gesture—aimed at reigning champion Max Verstappen after their most recent on-track encounter. When questioned if he had taken too significant a risk by attempting to overtake the Red Bull on the outside, Norris replied: "If I don’t give it a shot, people will criticize me. If I do, they’ll still complain.

      "So there’s no way to win. But that’s how it goes with Max—it's either a crash or you don’t pass him." On the other hand, Piastri executed a move reminiscent of Verstappen's style. "It was a matter of being patient, waiting for an opportunity or forcing him into a mistake," stated the Australian, now seen as the frontrunner for the 2025 championship. "That’s what I managed to do."

      According to former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, Norris' recent run-in with Verstappen and his reaction are part of a growing list of missteps. "I’m not sure what’s going on with Norris," he remarked to Sky Deutschland. "He was always very determined in karting and other series, but he seems to have lost some of that drive.

      "Perhaps it’s because he’s too cautious or overly concerned about losing points and position, which is causing him to fall behind. He really needs to address that. He’s also quickly gained the reputation that others can just race aggressively against him. We saw how Piastri managed to force Verstappen into a slight error to get past him on the inside," added Schumacher.

      Alain Prost, affectionately known as 'The Professor' throughout his illustrious Formula 1 career, believes that Piastri is clearly winning the mental game at McLaren. "Motor racing is of course fought out on the track," the four-time world champion shared with L’Equipe. "Drivers’ reflexes and natural talent are essential, but racing is also a mental game.

      "Psychological factors are vital," Prost noted, recalling his own legendary rivalry with Ayrton Senna at McLaren. "It was already relevant in my time, but modern times have made it even more critical for a driver’s success.

      "Nowadays, everything is visible, everything is experienced, everything is known," said the 70-year-old Prost. "Many drivers fall into this trend, but by doing so, they create immense pressure on themselves. Others choose to keep a low profile—which I believe is the right approach," he commented. "The new championship leader, Oscar Piastri, hardly ever speaks. We don’t know much about his life outside of racing.

      "He’s naturally reserved, disappearing between races and alleviating this pressure."