Piastri leads McLaren duel as field turns to 2026

The 2025 title fight between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris rolls into Hungary this weekend, with the rest of the grid increasingly shifting focus to the all-new Formula 1 regulations coming in 2026.

McLaren’s Piastri enters the final round before the summer break with clear momentum after his commanding victory at Spa – a result that firmly re-established him as the leading title contender.

“Piastri once again demonstrated that he is the more hardened of the two McLaren drivers,” said former Red Bull driver Christian Klien on Servus TV.

“This also gave him priority during the pit stop and allowed him to change to the dry tyres more quickly. After that, it was basically over.”

Piastri won his first Formula 1 race at the Hungaroring last year, and returns to the technical Budapest layout with eight wins to his name. But Klien warns that Norris won’t be far behind. “Norris also feels very comfortable on this track and is always fast in Hungary. The two are more or less always on the same level; they won’t give each other anything.”

Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, says nearly everyone else is already thinking about the long game. “I think 80 percent of the focus is already on 2026. And it’s not just the engineers,” said the Aston Martin driver. “I think the drivers in the field are already thinking about 2026, with the exception of the McLaren drivers.”

Ex-Minardi driver Christijan Albers agrees, suggesting Red Bull should abandon development of its 2025 car altogether. “I would almost entirely focus on next year,” he said on De Telegraaf’s F1 podcast. “Even if they do nothing now, Max will still easily finish third.”

With Verstappen 28 points clear of fourth-placed Russell, Albers sees no risk in shifting resources. “That’s really not a bad result for the car as it is now. But then I would just put all my focus on 2026.”

Albers also marvelled at Verstappen’s unique control of the current RB21. “Have you ever seen how that car turns? It’s so pointy. It’s so easy for Max,” he said. “He has to manage it completely with the throttle. I also don’t think anyone else can drive that. That’s truly unique.”