Oscar Piastri has responded to claims made by Nationals senator Matt Canavan within the Australian parliament final yr that McLaren might have sabotaged the 24-year-old driver’s 2025 marketing campaign.
The Australian driver was within the combat for the drivers’ championship in 2025 in opposition to his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris and four-time champion Max Verstappen. After profitable 5 of the primary 9 races of the season, Piastri appeared to be a powerful contender for the title, however a late surge from Verstappen and a extra constant efficiency from Norris after the summer season break left Piastri in third general.
McLaren’s strategy of getting two number-one drivers was extremely scrutinised throughout the season. The Woking outfit opted to permit each drivers to battle it out on observe with the availability that they don’t crash into each other. Whereas this allowed for some thrilling racing for followers, some argued that they need to have chosen one driver to again for the drivers’ title over the opposite.
“Yeah, I noticed, and I believe, for me, the takeaway from that was simply how intently everybody was supporting it greater than anything,” Piastri informed 7NEWS.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Picture by: Zak Mauger / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
“There have been actually no unhealthy intentions final yr, and I believe as a crew we all know that there is issues that we might have achieved a greater job of, issues we might have achieved in another way, and I do know that as properly. However, you already know, at no level had been there any unhealthy intentions or actually no sabotage like I’ve seen round a number of instances.
“That is a part of racing, some issues go as you need, some issues do not. We have labored very laborious on attempting to tidy up a few of the issues we did not get proper final yr. I am assured that we are able to do a greater job in 2026 on the entire.”
The 2026 season will kick off with Piastri’s residence race, the Australian Grand Prix from 6-8 March.
We would like your opinion!
What would you wish to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Workforce
