Jos Verstappen Warns Oscar Piastri’s Reputation Is at Risk Amid Title Collapse

Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, has warned that Oscar Piastri’s reputation could suffer lasting damage if he fails to win this year’s Formula 1 world championship, following a dramatic slump in form that has seen the Australian lose his long-held points lead.

Just two months ago, Piastri appeared in control of the championship, holding a 34-point advantage over McLaren teammate Lando Norris after the Dutch Grand Prix. Since then, that lead has vanished. Piastri has not stood on the podium since the Italian Grand Prix, where he was instructed to let Norris pass for second place following a pit-stop error by the team.

Norris now leads the championship by a single point, while Max Verstappen remains an outside contender, 36 points behind, with four races remaining.

Jos Verstappen, a former Formula 1 driver and teammate of Michael Schumacher in the 1990s, said he was puzzled by how quickly Piastri’s season has unravelled.

“I find it quite strange what’s happening at McLaren,” Verstappen told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. “Piastri can’t have suddenly forgotten how to drive, right? If I were him, or his manager [ex-driver Mark Webber], I’d bang my fist on the table internally at least once.

“Because right now everyone is wondering whether he can handle the pressure, and that’s not good for your reputation … Piastri’s reputation in this case.”

The sudden shift in momentum has also sparked widespread fan speculation. Norris was booed after his victory at the Mexican Grand Prix, with local journalists later suggesting it stemmed from a growing belief among fans that McLaren has favoured Norris over Piastri in recent races.

McLaren has consistently denied those claims, maintaining that both drivers receive equal treatment and that the team remains committed to managing its internal rivalry fairly as the championship reaches its final stretch.