McLaren CEO Zak Brown has backed Oscar Piastri to become an even better Formula 1 driver, saying he has “no doubt his start will continue to rise”.
The Australian looked set to claim his first Drivers’ Championship in what was just his third year of F1 in 2025.
Piastri won seven races for the Woking-based squad and held a 34-point lead in the championship, going into the final third of the campaign.
But ultimately, stunning comebacks by both team-mate Lando Norris and Max Verstappen saw Piastri falter at the final hurdle, with Norris eventually claiming the title.
But Brown, in an open letter to McLaren fans, set aside a chunk of praise for Piastri, noting his ability to “blossom into a title challenger” despite his relative lack of experience.
“He drove an unbelievable season,” the American wrote.
“It’s easy to forget that he has contested only three Formula 1 seasons to date. He drives with experience and skill that belies his years and conducts himself with the utmost professionalism and respect.
“We knew we had a star on our hands from the moment he arrived, and it has been a pleasure to watch him blossom into a title challenger in such short order.
“I have no doubt his star will continue to rise in the years to come, and I want to thank him for playing such a crucial role in delivering our second consecutive constructors’ championship under the Singapore floodlights, with six rounds to go.”
Piastri will be chomping at the bit to get back to winning ways in 2026, no doubt motivated by the #1 adorning Norris’ car on the other side of the McLaren garage.
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