Verstappen baffled by Piastri’s sudden slump: ‘I find it very bizarre’

Max Verstappen has admitted that the sudden slump in Oscar Piastri’s form this season is “very bizarre,” even as it has helped him remain in the championship fight along with McLaren’s drivers.

What looked like an unimpeded run to the world title for Piastri after last summer’s Dutch Grand Prix has turned into a shocking reversal seized upon by Lando Norris who enjoyed back-to-back wins in Mexico and Brazil to capture the lead in the Drivers’ standings.

Verstappen is the first to admit he never saw it coming. However, the Red Bull star – who now sits 49 points adrift in the standings – is under no illusions: taking the title from McLaren’s contenders will require a mix of fortune, consistency, and perhaps a little chaos.

Closing the Gap – But Reality Bites

“I think closing the gap that quickly has happened partly because all circumstances came together,” Verstappen said ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

“They made a few mistakes after the summer break or had a crash, while we had some good races in which everything came together. And yeah, then you can gain very quickly.”

But the recent races in Mexico City and Brazil served as a reminder that momentum is fragile.

“At some point, you come back to reality and know that it won’t go like that everywhere.

“But at least we’ve been on the podium the last couple of races, and that’s already a lot more consistent than what it was from mid-2024 to mid-2025,” he added. “So, in the end it's still positive.”

Piastri’s Dip: ‘Very bizarre’

With Piastri going from runaway title favourite to second fiddle at McLaren in the space of a few races – Verstappen described the change as puzzling.

“I have no explanation for that to be honest, I find it very bizarre,” he said. “I didn’t expect it to go like this, although at the end of the day it’s not really my problem.”

When asked if Piastri had simply lost his touch, Verstappen was equally candid:

“No, I don’t think so. But honestly, I also don’t know how this is possible.”

Verstappen also addressed recent comments from his father Jos Verstappen, who suggested that Piastri or his manager Mark Webber should have “slammed their fist on the table” during the rough patch.

Max made clear he would have handled it differently.

“No, but I think that has to do with how they operate as a team as well. That’s not how I operate,” he said. “But that’s fine, everyone does their own thing. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I am a bit different in that regard.

“I don’t know what has happened or what hasn’t happened, so it’s difficult for me to judge. But I would probably have been a bit more annoyed, I think, when you’re that far ahead and suddenly that far behind.”

Penalties, frustration, and Red Bull’s approach

Piastri’s difficulties were compounded in Brazil when he received a penalty for his role in a collision involving Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc. Carlos Sainz labeled the sanction “unacceptable,” while McLaren chose not to protest.

Verstappen highlighted Red Bull’s own approach in such situations.

“Yeah, I don’t know why they handled it like that. In the end, you can be angry about it, but the penalty will still stand anyway. You just have to live with it,” he explained.

“If you have a problem with that, then you need to contact the stewards or the FIA and maybe you can talk about it for the future.”

Even if Verstappen fails to clinch a fifth consecutive championship, he says he’ll move on quickly, refusing to dramatize the outcome.

“No, I’ll still go on holiday! I’m pretty good at putting things into perspective and letting things go. I’m not going to cry about it,” he said.

For the Dutchman, the title battle is a mix of skill, circumstance, and luck – and the curious twist in Piastri’s form has certainly made the hunt more interesting.

Read also: Stella defends Piastri amid ‘quite anomalous’ run of conditions

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