Oscar Piastri’s second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season has prompted pointed analysis from former grand prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya, who believes the Australian’s late-season struggles should serve as a sharp learning moment, rather than a simple dip in form.
After leading McLaren’s internal championship battle through the summer, Piastri saw momentum swing decisively towards team-mate Lando Norris, who went on to secure the world title. Compounding the disappointment, Max Verstappen also overhauled the McLaren driver in the standings, leaving Piastri third overall despite a strong opening half of the year.
Montoya argues that the way Piastri finished the campaign exposed weaknesses in both execution and response under pressure.
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Speaking to Grosvenor Casinos, Montoya pointed to Piastri’s upturn in form at the very end of the season as evidence that the raw speed never disappeared.
“If you look at Oscar in the last two races, he finally turned things around and won,” Montoya said.
“His frustration was so great that he thought: I have nothing to lose. And as soon as he thought that, the speed came back.”
For Montoya, that shift in mentality is revealing. Rather than struggling with outright pace, he suggests Piastri may have been constrained by expectations, internal pressure, or operational hesitations within the team as the title fight intensified.
The Colombian believes this is where the real lesson lies, arguing that elite drivers must adapt faster when circumstances change.
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Calls for faster reaction from driver and team
Montoya was blunt in his assessment of what Piastri must take from the experience.
“This must be tough for him. It’s really frustrating,” he said. “But you have to react faster. I think it’s a good lesson for him, that what he’s doing isn’t good enough, that what the team around him is doing isn’t good enough, and that he needs to figure out how to get the team to work better and faster around him.”
While McLaren’s overall season will be remembered as a success, thanks to Norris’s title, Montoya’s comments underline the fine margins at play when two drivers are fighting for supremacy within the same garage.
For Piastri, the challenge is not only matching Norris’s pace, but shaping the team’s approach around him during high-pressure phases of a championship.
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Zak Brown moves to steady the situation
In the immediate aftermath of the final race, Norris understandably took centre stage as the newly crowned world champion. McLaren chief executive Zak Brown was quick, however, to publicly reinforce the team’s long-term faith in Piastri.
Brown described the Australian as a future world champion, comments widely interpreted as an effort to calm any internal tension and reaffirm McLaren’s commitment to its driver pairing.
Nevertheless, such assurances have not silenced speculation about Piastri’s long-term future, particularly given the involvement of his manager, former Red Bull driver Mark Webber.
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Montoya fuels speculation over rival interest
Montoya went further by suggesting that discussions beyond McLaren may already be taking place.
“I guarantee you that Oscar Piastri and Mark Webber are already talking to another F1 team,” he claimed. Webber manages Piastri and finished his own Formula 1 career without a world title, despite driving a dominant Red Bull car that has been somewhat universally agreed was biased toward team mate Sebastian Vettel.
Montoya speculated that Red Bull or Aston Martin could be among the teams monitoring the situation, while also questioning Webber’s satisfaction with McLaren.
“I don’t think Mark Webber was satisfied with Oscar’s development at McLaren,” Montoya said. “Mark isn’t very happy with McLaren. But the question is, whether Oscar is very unhappy with McLaren.”
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A warning shaped by Webber’s past:
Montoya concluded with a note of caution, warning that Webber’s own experiences as a driver should not overly influence Piastri’s career decisions.
“I think they need to be careful and make sure that Webber’s scars from his time as a race car driver have nothing to do with Oscar’s career,” he said.
For now, Piastri remains firmly embedded at McLaren, but Montoya’s comments ensure that scrutiny of his trajectory — and his response to adversity, will only intensify in 2026.
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NEXT ARTICLE: F1 struggles to land new race promoters
The global image of Formula One is that of a runaway success as the sport continues to grow from strength to strength. Next season will see the first new circuit added since Las Vegas back in 2023, although rumours that Madrid is behind schedule continue to circulate.
Yesterday it was announced that Portimao in Portugal will return to the F1 schedule for a two year run in 2027/8. Yet the pipeline once brimming with hopeful promoters brandishing unlimited cheques appears to be running somewhat dry.
As is often the case in modern F1, the Portuguese Grand Prix is being underwritten by the government of the country and given the exorbitant fees to host such an event, the commitment for now is for just two years.
Gaps appearing on the future F1 calendar
However, there are gaps appearing on the calendar and in 2027 there are currently only 23 confirmed F1 race weekends. Imola has said farewell this season, but Madrid replaces the final slot on the 2026 schedule. Barcelona loses the right to host the Spanish Grand Prix as the title for the race has been transferred to the Spanish capital.
The future of F1 in Barcelona is uncertain given their contract expires at the end of 2026. The promoters may be hoping for an extension to be agreed, although they’ve been set the task of huge infrastructure improvements to deliver by the FIA and FOM.
For 2027 the number of Grand Prix weekends cold fall to as low as 21, as the historic Belgian Grand Prix begins its bi-annual rotation on the calendar. The Las Vegas Grand Prix will also be out of contract, although it is thought to be just a formality that an extension will be agreed.
Currently there are no big F1 projects in the pipeline and even the hugely trailed new Saudi Arabia track with its 90 metre high banked turn one has not yet broken ground. Whispers are…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
A senior writer at TJ13, C.J. Alderson serves as Senior Editor and newsroom coordinator, with a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing. Alderson’s professional training in media studies and experience managing content teams ensures TJ13 maintains consistency of voice and credibility. During race weekends, Alderson acts as desk lead, directing contributors and smoothing breaking stories for publication.
