Oscar Piastri’s stock has taken a tumble since the turn of the regulations in 2026.

The Australian was a fierce title contender in 2025, having led the championship for 15 race weekends. However, he ended up losing the title to McLaren teammate Lando Norris and finished third behind Max Verstappen.

Ralf Schumacher says Oscar Piastri is not considered a ‘future world champion’ by rival teams

Martin Brundle is holding out hope for Piastri under the new regulations, but it is clear that his form has dropped drastically from 2025.

It may not be official, but Piastri is now becoming McLaren’s number two driver, as he is starting to be briefed on team orders to help Norris.

The Aussie will be determined to turn things around, but Ralf Schumacher has questioned if he will get the better of Norris, and if his future at McLaren is slowly dwindling.

But leaving the Woking outfit would present a problem, as Schumacher says Piastri is no longer considered a ‘future world champion’ by McLaren’s rivals.

“I mean, he hasn’t forgotten how to drive. I have to say, he is a good racing driver, but the question is, has the car gone in his direction or is it now in the direction of Norris? People listen more to Norris, that’s probably the case.

“Accordingly, he could do well elsewhere, but the question is, will he get another chance? He’s definitely no longer the future world champion in the minds or eyes of the other teams, I believe that too.

“But for teams like Williams or Aston Martin, who will now have a hard time getting other drivers so easily, that would of course be an opportunity for Aston Martin, especially for him, to go back in and start from scratch and bring such a team forward.”

Piastri recently parted ways with Mark Webber as his manager, marking a significant change to his entourage. It is unclear who will replace the former Red Bull driver.

Webber was unsatisfied with McLaren and how Piastri’s title chances unravelled in 2025. Whether the Aussie can bounce back is to be seen, but based on 2026 and his performances, he has a lot of work to do to bring his stock back up.