As Lando Norris crossed the line to become Champion in Abu Dhabi, teammate Oscar Piastri was forced to accept his efforts fell short.
Despite leading the standings for 15 out of 24 races, a dip in form late in the season allowed Norris to retake the initiative.
At various stages of the year, McLaren CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella was pressed on their driver management. Unsurprisingly, having two drivers fighting for the title created plenty of headaches.
Things became more complicated once Max Verstappen re-emerged as a contender after the summer break. Of course, even after this season’s conclusion, McLaren must manage the dynamics within the garage.
In the wake of a difficult end to 2025, Zak Brown argues that Piastri – despite missing out this year – is world Champion material.
Piastri one to watch next year, says Zak Brown
In many ways, Piastri’s strong start to the year took many off guard. In 2023 and 2024, it was Norris that established himself as the reference at McLaren.
Considering Piastri’s lack of experience, the difference between the papaya duo was understandable. Still, few anticipated the Australian would take such a significant step forward in his third year. Following his spin at the Australian GP, he want on a blistering run that rarely saw him outside the podium.
After claiming victory in Zandvoort, the consensus was that the #81 car would go on to claim the crown. Of course, things did not unfold this way.
A series of unforced errors and weekends with underwhelming pace allowed Norris to overturn a 34-point deficit and put himself in control.
Despite returning to his usual form in the final two rounds, the damage had already been done for Piastri and his title aspirations.
Speaking in the aftermath of the decider in Abu Dhabi, Zak Brown emphasised that he expects the 23-year-old to become a World Champion in the future:
“I’m excited already for next year,” he told The Chris Moyles Show.
“Because I think Oscar is going to go back to Australia – he’s a very tough focused individual. He’s got very few areas to improve on. So I think you should watch out for Oscar Piastri next year.
“Of course these guys want to be World Champions, and he was so close. So he’s disappointed in that, I don’t think he’s disappointed in his season. He should be very proud of it.
“Either of them could have won the Championship, and it’s a long season. You get some good luck and some bad luck, so he should be immensely proud…
“It’s only his third season, and Lando, this was his seventh season. Oscar is going to be a World Champion, and it could be next year.”
McLaren must rise to the challenge for 2026
Brown’s recent comments are a reminder of the fine balancing act McLaren have worked to navigate this season.
Having two evenly matched drivers has plenty of positives, but it also brings a set of problems. For Brown and Stella, keeping both Piastri and Norris content is a challenge. Creating a feeling of parity and equal treatment is certainly not easy – especially amidst the polemics of a title race.
In this sense, the McLaren CEO will work to maintain a feeling of fairness heading into 2026.
Inevitably, though, there is no guarantee whether his team will produce another title-winning car next season. A fresh set of regulations present a whole range of unknowns, which is why teams rarely maintain their dominance across rule changes.
Because of this, Piastri might have to wait before he can fight for another Championship. For the time being, words of consolation are unlikely to take away the sting of missing out on this year’s crown.
At the same time, the 23-year-old will be optimistic that McLaren can keep themselves near the sharp-end of the field. With a long career ahead of him, he will hope for another chance to secure the title.
Main photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT Images (McLaren Media Gallery)
