Why did Jacques Villeneuve criticize Zak Brown's promise to Oscar Piastri?

Villeneuve believes it was wrong for Brown to guarantee Piastri would become an F1 world champion, especially after Piastri missed out on the 2025 title.

Who won the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship?

Lando Norris, Piastri's teammate at McLaren, won the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship.

How did Oscar Piastri perform in the 2025 F1 season?

Piastri led the championship for most of the 2025 season but finished third overall behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

Home / Sports / Villeneuve Slams McLaren CEO's Piastri Promise

Villeneuve Slams McLaren CEO's Piastri Promise

23 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Villeneuve criticizes Zak Brown's championship guarantee to Oscar Piastri.
Piastri led the 2025 Drivers' Championship but finished third overall.
Lando Norris, Piastri's teammate, won the 2025 F1 title.

Villeneuve Slams McLaren CEO's Piastri Promise

Former Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has publicly questioned McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown's assurance to driver Oscar Piastri that he would eventually become a world champion. This criticism comes after Piastri's 2025 season ended without a championship title.

Piastri held a significant lead in the Drivers' Championship for a substantial part of the 2025 season, even securing seven wins. However, his performance declined in the latter races, allowing his teammate Lando Norris to overtake him. The season concluded with Piastri finishing third in the overall standings.

Norris ultimately clinched the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, a result that has brought Villeneuve's comments into focus. The McLaren CEO's strong endorsement of Piastri's potential championship success is now being scrutinized in light of the final standings.