Jos Verstappen has advised Oscar Piastri to “fight back”, with the Australian having lost his healthy lead in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship to McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.
Piastri was 34 points ahead of Norris after his last victory at Zandvoort, and 104 ahead of Verstappen’s son Max, giving him a sizeable buffer going into the final third of the campaign.
But Piastri has failed to win a race since, and a drop in form, as well as a rejuvenation of both Norris and Verstappen’s bids, has seen him now left in a vulnerable position.
Verstappen is now just one 36 points behind, affording him a chance – albeit an outside one – to retain the title, with Norris now one point ahead, completing a seismic turnaround.
Of course, it’s in Verstappen Sr’s best interests that the McLaren joint-challenge implodes and allows Verstappen Jr through to take a fifth straight title.
But speaking to De Telegraaf, Verstappen Sr was baffled by Piastri’s drop in form, and by the situation within the Woking-based squad.
“I find what’s happening at McLaren quite strange,” he said. “Piastri hasn’t suddenly forgotten how to drive, has he?
“If I were him, or his manager [Mark Webber], I would bang my fist on the table internally.
“Because now everyone is wondering whether he can handle the pressure. And that’s not good for your own name, Piastri’s in this case.”
One of the scenarios that has been hypothesised and speculated in this time has been whether McLaren is, subconsciously or otherwise, favouring Norris, perhaps due to his longevity within the McLaren ranks.
But Verstappen was unforthcoming on such rumour, but insisted that Piastri needs to rediscover his form quickly, having seen his lead fall away.
“It may automatically seem that way, but I have no insight into that, he said of the McLaren situation.
“However, if I were Piastri, I would fight back now. Everyone assumed he would become champion, and that image has now changed very quickly.”
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