Helmut Marko Declares F1 Title Race "Done Deal" for Oscar Piastri

Why it matters: Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has made a bold prediction, stating that the Formula 1 title fight is now a "done deal" for Oscar Piastri. This assessment comes after a significant setback for Lando Norris at the Dutch Grand Prix, further widening Piastri's championship lead.The big picture: Piastri was on track to extend his championship advantage to 16 points at Zandvoort, leading a McLaren 1-2 in the final laps. However, an unexpected engine issue forced Norris to retire, marking his second DNF of the season. This non-score allowed Piastri to establish a commanding 34-point lead with just nine race weekends remaining.Marko's take: Speaking to ORF, Marko emphasized the severity of Norris's misfortune. "This off-ball really hit him at the wrong time. It happened at a very decisive stage of the championship, so it's going to be very tricky now," he stated.The details: The battle between Piastri and Norris has been closely contested all season. Despite the possibility of Norris avoiding further mechanical issues, Marko remains unconvinced the Briton can match Piastri's consistent pace. Marko observed, "In the case of Piastri, we saw that every time Norris attacked Piastri managed to counter those attacks. It is my opinion that Oscar managed to control the race very sovereignly and so I fear that it is a done deal in Piastri's favour."