Oscar Piastri isn’t backing down after Jos Verstappen suggested he should “push back” more in his championship battle with teammate Lando Norris.
“I don’t think anything needs to change,” Piastri said firmly while speaking to reporters in Brazil.
Verstappen, father of three-time champion Max, had claimed if he were in Piastri’s position – or that of his manager Mark Webber – he would have “slammed my fist on the table internally, because now everyone is wondering whether he can handle the pressure.”
The 24-year-old Australian quickly dismissed those comments, instead praising McLaren’s approach to managing their title-fighting teammates.
“We’re always very open with each other in terms of what we think, whether we think things have been fair, whether we think the right decisions have been made,” Piastri explained from the Brazilian Grand Prix paddock.
Just one point separates Lando Norris at the top of the drivers’ championship from Oscar Piastri.
“From that side of things, we can stand up for ourselves, and I feel very comfortable doing that, and that’s very much encouraged by the team to make our point for ourselves individually.”
He acknowledged the unusual situation of having teammates fighting for the same prize.
“It’s obviously a difficult dynamic to manage when you’ve got the two cars in the same team fighting for a championship that only one car can win. There’s obviously going to be difficulties with that, but I respect the team allowing us to both try and fight for the Drivers’ Championship.”
## Piastri wants to win the title ‘on my own merit’
With such a tight title battle between Piastri and Norris, McLaren has stuck with their controversial ‘papaya rules’ approach throughout the 2025 season.
Despite crashes in Singapore and Austin raising questions about team harmony, Piastri confirmed in Mexico that there would be no internal penalties, shutting down rumors of driver favoritism.
“I want to go out there and try and win the championship, knowing that I did it on my own merit and doing the things that I could do in my control,” the Australian emphasized.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri celebrating McLaren’s 2025 Constructors’ Championship win at the Singapore Grand Prix.
“Obviously, if you pick one driver, you’ve got a 50% chance that you’re not going to be that driver. For me, we’re very much encouraged and welcomed to stand up for ourselves already. I don’t think anything needs to change.”
Team principal Andrea Stella compared the challenge to parenting: “It’s like when you have two sons!”
Piastri will be looking to make the most of the sprint weekend in Sao Paulo and reclaim the championship lead after losing top spot to Norris at last weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
Can the Australian handle the pressure of a title fight in just his second F1 season? We’ll find out as the championship battle heads into its final rounds.
