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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Piastri told 'be more selfish' after 2025 McLaren saga
SEN • January 13th, 2026 4:08 pm
Former F1 driver Damon Hill has urged Oscar Piastri to return to the paddock a more selfish driver for 2026.
With less than a month before the new cars have their first outing in Barcelona for testing, the Australian is being advised to consider a mind set shift following the bitter ending to his 2025 campaign.
Piastri, who led the F1 title race by 34 points at the start of September, finished the season third behind teammate Lando Norris and Max Verstappen after a slump in form through October and November.
Disaster in Baku together with the controversial position swap at Monza and double disqualification in Las Vegas contributed to the collapse of his season which ultimately cost him the championship.
“Next year, if I were him, I’d be coming back saying, ‘Listen, I love the team, and it’s been great, but I have to think of myself’,” Hill said on the Drive to Wynn podcast.
“‘It’s my career. If the situation arises and you ask me to return points to my teammate, you have to ask yourself, why would I do that?’
“‘I can’t afford to do that. I did it last year. That could have cost me the World Championship’.
“He had some misfortune, you have to say, and he’s lost out because of some decisions with McLaren, trying to be fair. For example, Lando had a bad pit stop at Monza, and he was asked to give the place back.
“Wow, that’s quite a big thing to do, isn’t it, to give points away to a guy you could be fighting for the world championship for?
“He will probably look at that and go, ‘Well, maybe I won’t do that again’.”
Fans were left angry and frustrated with how they perceived McLaren had treated Piastri through the course of the season amid rumours of preferential treatment being given to his British counterpart.
Speculation is rife that Piastri’s manager and former f1 driver Mark Webber has been courting offers from other F1 teams with both Ferrari and Mercedes considered options for 2027.
Whether he remains in the papaya or not, Hill is confident Piastri has an edge over Norris that will stand him in good stead for years to come; he is not intimidated by Verstappen.
“I think Max recognises that Oscar will not hesitate, won’t think twice,” Hill continued.
“He arrives, and then he’s attacked; he just goes straight in there. That’s one of his highest skills, I think, that ability to be an aggressive and decisive overtake.
“Do you remember what happened in Saudi Arabia when they both started biffing each other, and Max took to the escape road and then played silly buggers, by not giving the place back or whatever?
“I don’t think Oscar’s particularly intimidated by that. And so I think there’s a little bit more respect.
“Lando can be a little bit more circumspect and wary of Max, and Max knows that.”
