Romain Grosjean puzzled by Oscar Piastri's late-season slump: "Felt like it was his cousin driving"

Former F1 driver Romain Grosjean expressed confusion over Oscar Piastri's performance dip in the latter part of the 2025 season, suggesting the McLaren driver seemed like a different person for several races. Piastri, who led the championship by 34 points at the summer break, ultimately finished third, 13 points behind teammate and champion Lando Norris.

Why it matters:

Piastri's slump represents a significant 'what if' moment in the 2025 championship narrative. Holding a commanding lead mid-season only to lose it exposes the mental and performance consistency required to win a title, a crucial learning point for the young driver touted as a future world champion.

The details:

• Grosjean's critique centers on a four-to-five race stretch after the Italian Grand Prix where Piastri went without a podium, a stark contrast to his first-half form which included six wins and 12 podiums.
• The Australian driver's season was a tale of two halves: dominant before the break, then inconsistent after, barring a win in the Netherlands and a podium in Italy.
• He showed a return to form with pole position and a strong second place in Qatar, followed by another solid podium in Abu Dhabi, but the championship damage was already done.
• Grosjean, while critical of the mid-season lapse, maintains a positive long-term view of Piastri, emphasizing his youth, proven potential, and capacity to learn from the experience.

The big picture:

The 2025 season highlights the intense pressure and steep learning curve within a top team. Piastri's story serves as a case study in managing championship expectations and maintaining peak performance across an entire campaign, a challenge even for the most talented drivers.

What's next:

The focus for Piastri and McLaren will be on translating this harsh lesson into growth. Grosjean believes that if Piastri can consistently replicate his best performances and eliminate the mid-season slumps, he possesses all the ingredients necessary to become a Formula 1 World Champion. The 2026 season becomes a critical test of his ability to apply that learning.