'Sudden disappearance of talent' - Piastri penalized in Baku

      "He faced harsh consequences for minor errors."

      22 September 2025 - 10:50

      McLaren experienced a challenging weekend in Baku, as championship leader Oscar Piastri suffered crashes during both qualifying and the race, ending his streak of consistent performances. "Oscar has been the most reliable driver this season so far," remarked team principal Andrea Stella, noting that the Australian had completed 44 races in succession before Sunday. "He faced severe penalties for minor mistakes. He will grow from this experience. Even the greatest champions, like Michael Schumacher, have gone through similar situations."

      Sky Deutschland analyst Ralf Schumacher, however, was less lenient. "It seemed like a sudden loss of talent," he stated. "It's beneficial for (Lando) Norris to see that his teammate can also err. The pressure is now on, and it affects everyone." Stella acknowledged that the typically dominant McLaren car struggled this weekend as much as the drivers did. "The car didn’t provide the grip, predictability, and consistency the drivers usually require to maximize their potential," he explained. "As soon as Oscar pushed the boundaries a little, it ended in disaster. On circuits with heavy braking and sharp turns, our car doesn’t perform at its best. Fortunately, most tracks aren't like this one."

      Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko highlighted that Max Verstappen's unwavering presence and sudden resurgence are impacting McLaren. "It’s uncommon for a McLaren driver to not finish," he said. "But I always mention that you need to be as close as possible to make them anxious." Former F1 driver Christijan Albers criticized McLaren's operations. "They have an incredibly powerful car," he told Viaplay. "Andrea Stella is trying to build the team around himself, but I observed the same trend with Andreas Seidl—he was also overhyped. They possess a fantastic car, but their strategy is lacking, and the drivers are inconsistent. If you placed Max, Russell, or Leclerc in that car, the championship would look entirely different."