The man in orange marooned by his spinning wheels

Oscar Piastri Caught in a Spin as Australian F1 GP Curse

The McLaren driver was pressing race-leader Lando Norris before paying a huge price for a late mistake on the wet track at the Melbourne Grand Prix.

Source Jack Snape
Sun 16 Mar 2025 09.24 CET

In a wet field of grass, there Oscar Piastri sat, the man in orange marooned by his spinning wheels. The Australian driver – after a rapid rise in Formula One – was all of a sudden stationary.

The expectations of F1 mean that those not moving forward are going backward. Sure enough, the hometown hero tumbled down the order, from a podium sure-thing, cascading through the points to a place among the back markers. And as his position sank, so too did the hearts of local fans, in a flash of disappointment now all too familiar.

McLaren’s Strong Performance, Piastri’s Tough Break

For most of a compelling opening weekend of Formula One, Melbourne’s best driver looked certain to end the long-standing home race podium drought for Australians. No Australian has stood on the podium at his home grand prix across a decade in Adelaide and now three in Victoria.

McLaren appeared a class above the rest of the field in the middle stages of Sunday’s race. For a moment, Piastri even looked sharper than his teammate Lando Norris, the pole-sitter, early leader, and eventual winner.

On a drying track, fate seemed to favor the Australian. He skipped past defending driver’s champion Max Verstappen and closed in on Norris’ rear wing. But in Formula One, team orders can often outweigh sheer racing ambition.

Team Orders and Missed Opportunity

The Australian confirmed afterward that “papaya rules” were in place for the 2025 edition of the race, meaning he was not allowed to challenge Norris at a crucial moment. “By the time we were free to race, I’d killed my front left a little bit getting to the back of Lando, so by that point, there wasn’t much I could do,” Piastri admitted.

As the race unfolded, an unforced error on the wet track proved costly, spinning him out of contention and dashing hopes of a homegrown podium finish. While Piastri’s talent is undeniable, Melbourne’s F1 curse remains unbroken for yet another year.

Despite the setback, Piastri’s performance throughout the weekend signals that he will be a force to reckon with in the 2025 F1 season. With McLaren’s improved pace and a driver hungry for victory, his time in the winner’s circle may not be far away.