Herbert: Piastri's 'Mental Strength' Cost Him a 'Slam Dunk' Title

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert asserts that Oscar Piastri let a 'slam dunk' 2025 Drivers' Championship slip through his fingers, pointing to a lack of mental strength during a mid-season slump. Despite a strong recovery to finish third, Piastri was just 13 points behind his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who claimed the title in a dramatic finale.

Why it matters:

• The criticism underscores the immense psychological pressure in F1, where a seemingly insurmountable championship lead can evaporate in a matter of weeks.
• It frames Piastri's 2026 season as a crucial test of his ability to manage pressure and perform consistently under championship-level scrutiny.
• The narrative adds a compelling layer to the intra-team battle at McLaren, highlighting how Norris stepped up to become the team's de facto leader while Piastri faltered.

The details:

• After the Dutch Grand Prix, Piastri held a commanding 34-point lead over Norris, with Max Verstappen a distant 104 points behind, seemingly out of contention.
• Piastri's title challenge then derailed with a six-race podiumless streak, a period where Herbert believes the Australian "went missing."
• During that same stretch, Verstappen mounted a stunning comeback with a 100% podium finish rate and six Grand Prix wins.
• Norris also elevated his performance, ultimately clinching the title by just two points from Verstappen, while Piastri ended the year 13 points adrift of his teammate.

Looking ahead:

• Herbert believes Piastri has all the ingredients to be a World Champion but insists he must develop the mental resilience to prevent a repeat, suggesting his manager, Mark Webber, will be key in this development.
• Contrastingly, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella remains bullish on Piastri, calling him a "future multiple World Champion" with a "phenomenal trajectory."
• The 2026 season will now be a defining moment for Piastri to prove he can convert raw speed and early-season dominance into a championship-winning campaign.