Oscar Piastri is ready to jump back into the F1 Singapore GP after a shocking result last weekend. Piastri hit the wall on lap 1 at the F1 Azerbaijan GP, ending the race with his first DNF since his rookie season. The championship leader took 3 DNFs in 2023 but quickly rose to the top in the 2025 season ahead of his teammate Lando Norris.
Closing the gap
Piastri was behind Norris in the World Drivers’ Championship last year but has managed to maintain his lead so far this season. Given his performance in Baku, Piastri has only a 25-point lead over Norris, and a 69-point lead to Max Verstappen ahead of the F1 Singapore GP. Piastri took some well-needed rest to clear his head and is ready to jump back into the longest race of the season.
“I feel good, it was nice to just have a few days off to relax and reset. It’s been a productive week, just focused on this weekend and trying to get back to what we know we can do.”
He’s only human
Piastri is known to keep a cool head and stay calm during high-stake races. His level-headedness helped him to rise to the top, winning almost half of the races this season. Piastri’s performance ahead of the F1 Singapore GP raises the question of whether he’s starting to crumble under pressure, but Piastri is quick to forgive himself.
When asked if the real him is back, he laughs it off saying,.“I hope so! Obviously, I don’t want to repeat what happened in Baku, but mistakes are going to happen. I’m only human, at the end of the day. It’s going to happen.”
Live and Learn
The Australian driver takes a more relaxed approach to criticism, taking only the best from his past errors. Piastri sees his mistakes in a positive light, choosing to focus on what can be done better this time on the street circuit at the F1 Singapore GP.
“Obviously, I don’t want to make those again, but I think they are going to happen no matter what they look like, and just trying to make sure you move on from them is the most important thing and [to] learn from them.”
Piastri humbly explains that mistakes happen regardless of the driver behind the wheel. He is very clear that mistakes, big and small, are all just learning experiences. Seeing things in a positive light is a sure way to keep trudging forward for these last few races. Piastri plays a strong mental game, showing us how he prevents a bad race in Baku from ruining his performance ahead of the F1 Singapore GP.
“It doesn’t really matter if it’s missing an apex or locking up, jumping a start; it’s how you learn from it and move on that’s the important part, and I feel like I’ve been able to do that in the week off.”
One step at a time
Oscar Piastri is intent on learning from every mistake. Right from the start of the season, Piastri learned from his mistakes. He lost the podium in Australia and went on to win the next three races. Taking the slow but steady approach has proven to be a success for him so far. Winning just two races last year, Piastri has dominated the 2025 season by continuing to learn from each race. He expressed learning, “a number of things – nothing that revolutionary.”
Oscar Piastri is well known for his strategic mind and doesn’t shy away from recognizing his shortcomings. His humble attitude bodes well for his success at the F1 Singapore GP.
“Looking at what went wrong is important – you can’t just run away from it or hide from it. I think there was a lot of good lessons to take from Baku, and I think generally when you have difficult moments or difficult weekends, that’s probably when you learn more than in the good ones. That’s how I’ve tried to approach it
Buried under the red flags
Piastri also struggled during qualifying at the F1 Azerbaijan GP. With 6 red flags getting thrown, the Papaya racer struggled to get a lap in, ultimately crashing during Q3. He ended up rounding off the top 10 but credits the session as the catalyst for his DNF in Baku.
“I think Quali was just trying to push a little bit too hard – it happens,” the Papaya racer said. “I think the race, I would say probably the crash was somewhat related to the start. It’s never easy to shake off a start like that in such a short time.”
Sticking to his guns
Piastri does consider his DNF to be a small mistake in terms of his driving, and is looking hopeful for the F1 Singapore GP. He is taking the silver lining and sticking with what has been working so far. The McLaren driver is being conservative in his approach to the F1 Singapore GP, recognizing that his strategy thus far has been a success this season.
“There’s a lot of learning from that, but I think just silly mistakes more than anything else. I don’t feel like I need to change how I’m approaching things or anything like that. There’s been some good lessons, definitely, but some of those lessons have been that what I’ve been doing so far is working pretty good.”
Focused on doing his best
The McLaren driver would rather be nonchalant about races than to think about his 25-point lead in the WDC. Keeping in mind his current position, he isn’t focused on the closing gap by his teammate or Verstappen. Piastri would rather keep his mind focused on the needs of the F1 Singapore GP.
“No, I don’t think it’s ever a great idea to drive like that. Even with less races to go, I think the most important thing is going to be to just try and do the best job that I can.
With such a physically demanding track, Piastri is laser focused on the race ahead. In fact, the Australian driver explained that that is the key to winning races and the Drivers’ Championship. He confidently chooses to pay attention to the steps in front of him rather than look at the big picture.
“The picture in the championship will look however it will look, but I know that when I drive at my best and give my absolute best then I’m more than capable of winning races. Ultimately,that’s what’s going to win you championships, so that’s what I’m focused on doing.”
