Oscar Piastri Slams ‘Messy’ Weekend as Title Lead Shrinks

Oscar Piastri described his Monaco Grand Prix weekend as “messy” after finishing third and seeing his Formula 1 drivers’ championship lead cut to just three points. He put in a strong showing during the race at the Circuit de Monaco but could not improve from his third-place starting spot.

Lando Norris, his McLaren teammate and closest rival in the standings, clinched victory, further tightening the season’s title fight.

Piastri’s start to the weekend was far from ideal. He crashed during the second practice session at Sainte Devote, forcing McLaren mechanics to work hard to get his car ready for qualifying.

Despite this setback, Piastri recovered and secured third on the grid behind Charles Leclerc and Norris. He said qualifying in Monaco was key, as overtaking is nearly impossible on the tight street circuit, a fact well-documented by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

On race day, Piastri showed consistent pace but couldn’t mount a challenge for the win. He called the practice sessions “messy,” which impacted his confidence during qualifying, but he was still glad to return to the Monaco podium.

“Yeah, obviously the win would have been better, but it’s been a bit of a tricky weekend,” Piastri explained after the race. “Practice was messy all the way through, and I felt like I got into qualifying with not a lot of confidence with how the weekend was going. I got close, but not quite close enough. And around here, where you qualify is pretty much where you finish.”

With this result, Piastri now sits at 161 points in the drivers’ standings, only three points ahead of Norris, who has 158. Third in the championship is Max Verstappen of Red Bull with 136 points.

The Monaco result marks another step in a tightly contested season, with both McLaren drivers battling at the top. In the constructors’ standings, McLaren leads with 319 points, ahead of Mercedes at 147 and Red Bull at 143.

Despite failing to match Norris or Leclerc in Monaco, Piastri recognized the positives of another podium finish at one of F1’s most famous venues. “The margins are so fine,” he said. “If this is a bad weekend, then it’s not going too badly at all. Some things to work on, but more points on the board and another trip to the podium.”

He also congratulated Norris and Leclerc on their performances, noting that Leclerc has always been fast on home soil, as highlighted in Monaco’s Grand Prix history.

The next stop for the Formula 1 calendar is the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya on June 1. With just three points separating the McLaren teammates in the standings and nine races completed, the battle for the 2025 title remains wide open.

Piastri expressed determination to bounce back stronger at the next race and is looking to maintain his position at the top of one of the closest championships in years, a sentiment echoed by many analysts on Motorsport.com’s forums.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.