Piastri's 'boring' style may be key to 2025 F1 crown

While Max Verstappen's aggressive Barcelona antics made most of the headlines, Oscar Piastri quietly strengthened his claim to the 2025 Formula 1 world championship.

Even Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko admitted after the race in Barcelona that McLaren now appears unstoppable in this year's title fight.

"It's not the end of the championship," he said, "but it is getting harder and harder."

After round 9 of 24, Verstappen trails the two McLarens by 49 points, despite the FIA's new clampdown on front wing flexibility — which hasn't slowed McLaren at all.

"The gap to McLaren is now becoming frightening," Marko admitted. "Despite our upgrades, we can't match their pace. We're about two or three tenths slower, and even Verstappen can't make up that kind of gap."

The title battle is no longer just Verstappen versus McLaren — but increasingly an internal fight between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. And it's the 24-year-old Australian who now holds a 10-point advantage over his teammate.

Piastri's Sunday drive in Barcelona was another showcase of quiet control, drawing comparisons to Kimi Raikkonen.

"I'm not sure I want to go by the name Ice-Boy," Piastri said when the nickname was raised in Spain.

But Dutch pundit Tom Coronel thinks it fits. "This was typical Piastri," he told Viaplay. "He doesn't make much noise, but that boring has given him a good lead in the championship.

"When he needed to push, he had pace left. We thought Norris was catching him, but he always had it under control."

Piastri even refused to fully comment on Verstappen's run-in with Russell — despite reportedly sharing stronger views in private with Norris.

"That's not what he said earlier," Norris laughed, as Piastri told media he needed "more context" before offering an opinion.

Former driver Giedo van der Garde was impressed. "Boring — that's how you drive to a championship," he said. "He did it that way in Formula 2 as well.

"When he has the chance, he wins. When he doesn't, he takes second or third. He stays cool — and that's how you win a title."