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WATCH: Field of Dreams finalistsF1 cult hero urges Oscar Piastri to quit McLaren
SEN • November 17th, 2025 11:30 am
F1 cult hero Guenther Steiner has urged Oscar Piastri to rethink his future with McLaren and consider defecting to another team, amid ongoing rumours of rifts behind the scenes.
Currently contracted until the end of 2028, Piastri has been the topic of relentless speculation he wants out of the papaya amid conspiracy theories of preferential treatment towards his teammate Lando Norris.
The Australian driver has failed to make the podium since Monza at the start of September, and in recent weeks relinquished his spot at the top of the driver standings with Norris now favourite to win the world title.
Creeping up behind the 24-year-old is four-time world champion Max Verstappen who in August was more than 100 points adrift of the lead.
With three races to go, Norris is 24 points clear of Piastri, with Verstappen 49 points off the lead.
The slump in form has led many to question and speculate what is happening behind the scenes at McLaren, but for Steiner, it is clear that Piastri needs to find a new home.
Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner took part in a segment called "gas or brake" meaning he was to agree (gas) or brake (disagree) with statements put to him.
Piastri should leave McLaren: "Gas" said Steiner.
“Especially if he doesn’t win the championship. I think he has a good chance to get in any other good car. He’s a good driver. And change sometimes is good. He’s young enough; he can adapt to it. He should, and I think he will.”
Max will finish ahead of Oscar in the championship: "Gas" said Steiner.
“You guys saw what happened in Brazil, or not in Brazil, the last four races. So, why not?”
“I mean, he continues to do it.
“If you say that Oscar is now destroyed mentally, I mean, Max will be ahead of him, absolutely. And Max is motivated like hell. As we can see in Brazil, he didn’t give up after a crappy qualifying. He rolled his sleeves up and made it better, and finished on the podium.”
Asked to expand on his belief Piastri would do well to change teams, Steiner said: “I think if that is happening, he just needs to regroup over the winter and come back stronger than before.
“Otherwise, if he doesn’t come back stronger, I think the best is that he changes teams then. That’s my opinion about it.
“Because otherwise, you don’t get it back. But he could come back, because I still rate him highly.”
F1 returns to Las Vegas this weekend with the race scheduled for 5pm Sunday NZ time.
