Rosberg, Villeneuve Warn Oscar Piastri's F1 Stock Is Falling

Oscar Piastri is facing renewed scrutiny after Nico Rosberg and Jacques Villeneuve warned his Formula 1 stock is dropping sharply. Following a difficult end to 2025, the McLaren driver has struggled to match teammate Lando Norris under the new regulations, raising questions about whether he can turn the corner before the slump defines his season.

Why it matters:

McLaren arrived in 2026 as a genuine title threat, but Piastri needs to prove he belongs in that fight. Being consistently outpaced by Norris risks cementing his status as a support act rather than a future champion, particularly with top-team seats always under review.

The details:

• Rosberg told Sky Sports that Piastri's "market value has taken a bit of a plunge," saying Norris has "jumped ahead" since the 2026 cars arrived.
• Villeneuve traced the decline to mid-2025, noting Piastri went from "the talk of the paddock" to someone "nobody's talking about anymore" within months.
• The results back the criticism: no podium fight since Miami, penalties in Canada and Monaco, and a distant fifth in Barcelona behind Norris.
• Both Piastri and McLaren boss Zak Brown have dismissed links to a potential Red Bull seat.

What's next:

Piastri remains committed to McLaren and has brushed off Red Bull rumors as "flattering" yet baseless. Still, every race he spends trailing Norris fuels the narrative that his value is slipping. He needs a clean, competitive weekend soon to quiet the doubters and show this dip is only temporary.