Oscar Piastri’s Remarkable Progress in 2025: Analyzing His Development and FIA’s New Verdict Before Dutch GP

The 2025 Formula 1 season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting yet, especially when considering the rise of drivers such as Oscar Piastri. With his exceptional performance this year, Piastri has rapidly become one of the most exciting talents on the grid, attracting attention for his on-track battles with teammate Lando Norris. As the young Australian continues to evolve, it’s clear that he is quickly shedding any doubts about his potential, and his engineer, Tom Stallard, has been vocal about the strides Piastri has made.

Oscar Piastri’s Development in 2025

Piastri’s strong showing in 2025 has marked a clear improvement compared to his rookie year. Leading the Drivers’ Championship and securing multiple victories, he has quickly established himself as one of the most competitive drivers on the grid. The noticeable shift in Piastri’s performance has been his ability to not only challenge but often outperform his more experienced teammate, Lando Norris.

Piastri’s progress is evident even when things aren’t going perfectly for him. On weekends where he faces difficulties, he still manages to stay close to Norris, who has long been regarded as one of the best drivers in the sport. This is a stark contrast to the 2024 season, when Piastri struggled to keep up with his teammate at certain races. The 2025 season has seen Piastri grow in confidence and speed, and he has increasingly proven that he has the potential to compete at the highest level in Formula 1.

Stallard’s Insights on Piastri’s Growth

Tom Stallard, Piastri’s race engineer, provided an insightful analysis of the driver’s progress in the 2025 season. According to Stallard, Piastri’s performance at specific races, such as the Emilia Romagna (Imola) and Austrian Grand Prix, exemplifies his growth. Despite Norris’ reputation as a master at circuits like Imola and Austria, Piastri was able to run close to him and even outperform him at times during the weekend.

Stallard explained that Imola has been a strong circuit for Norris throughout his career, and it has often been a difficult race for Piastri in the past. However, in 2025, Piastri showed substantial improvement. Although Norris finished ahead of Piastri in both of these races, the young Australian’s ability to challenge him demonstrated significant progress. At Imola, Piastri was ahead of Norris in qualifying, a remarkable feat given Norris’ dominance at the circuit. In Austria, Piastri stayed within striking distance of his teammate during the race and even tried a few overtaking maneuvers during the first stint. The fact that Piastri could challenge Norris at such a challenging track shows the level of progress he has made.

“Imola has been a really strong circuit for Lando for all of Lando’s career, and we were definitely on the back foot there the last couple of years with Oscar, whereas this year we were in a really good place compared to Lando,” said Stallard. He added, “I use Lando as a benchmark, not because that’s the driver’s battle at the moment, but because Lando is in Austria, a really, really difficult benchmark to weigh yourself against. He’s phenomenal in those circuits.”

The race engineer further emphasized that Piastri’s performance in Austria was a strong demonstration of his progress. In particular, Stallard highlighted Piastri’s ability to stick close to Norris, who had taken a dominant pole position and was expected to control the race. Instead, Piastri kept pace and put pressure on his teammate, making the race all the more thrilling for fans.

The Future of the Championship: Lando Norris vs. Oscar Piastri

With Piastri’s development clearly on the rise, questions about his potential for winning the 2025 Drivers’ Championship are beginning to surface. Piastri’s strong performances so far have led many to wonder if he can go head-to-head with Norris for the title. Given the nature of the competition between the two drivers, the 2025 season could well be a pivotal one for both of them. With Norris being an established star and Piastri quickly finding his feet, this could be the year where the battle for supremacy within McLaren, and perhaps even the entire grid, intensifies.

While many still believe Norris has the edge in experience and adaptability, Piastri’s ability to challenge him at circuits where Norris has historically excelled shows that he is not a driver to be underestimated. The question remains: Can Piastri continue his impressive form and take the championship in his second season, or will Norris’ years of experience ultimately prove decisive?

FIA’s Latest Verdict Before the Dutch Grand Prix

While Piastri’s progress continues to grab headlines, the Formula 1 world is also preparing for the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix, where a new FIA ruling has been issued. This decision is particularly relevant to the three cars that were selected for additional inspections following the Hungarian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Fernando Alonso were randomly chosen to undergo further checks, which included inspecting tire pressure and temperature monitoring sensors (TPMS).

The FIA confirmed that these checks were in line with the technical and sporting regulations, focusing on the installation of the TPMS sensors and ensuring that they met the required standards. The TPMS sensors were thoroughly inspected, including verifying that the wiring harnesses were intact, communication lines were functional, and anti-tamper seals remained unbroken. Additionally, the firmware of the TPMS ECU was checked to confirm that the system was functioning correctly and within the expected parameters.

According to the FIA’s technical report, all sensors were found to be in compliance with the 2025 Formula 1 regulations, meaning there were no issues with tampering or faulty components. This is a critical aspect of maintaining the integrity of the sport, as tire pressure is crucial for ensuring the safety and performance of the cars. With these checks completed successfully, the affected teams—Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston Martin—are clear to race without any further complications.

Conclusion: A Season of Development and Scrutiny

As the 2025 Formula 1 season progresses, all eyes are on Oscar Piastri and his impressive development as a driver. His close battles with Lando Norris, coupled with his standout performances at Imola and Austria, have shown that Piastri is not only a rising star but a serious contender for the future. The young Australian’s remarkable progress in such a short amount of time highlights the strength of the McLaren team and their ability to nurture emerging talent.

Meanwhile, the FIA’s latest inspection of tire pressure sensors and other technical components ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix shows that the sport continues to ensure strict adherence to safety and performance standards. As always, technical inspections play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the competition and ensuring that the best car and driver combinations succeed on track.

Looking ahead, it will be fascinating to see whether Piastri can continue his ascension to the top of the sport and whether he can ultimately challenge Norris for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship. If Piastri keeps up this level of performance, there’s no telling just how far he can go.