Winning three out of the first five Grands Prix of the 2025 season, Oscar Piastri has laid down a marker, establishing himself as one of the top contenders for this year’s championship. What stands out about him, beyond his outstanding racecraft, is his remarkable calm demeanor. This composure is a rare trait among drivers, especially when they find themselves in hot pursuit of the title, a situation often filled with immense pressure.
To understand the pressure faced by title contenders, look no further than McLaren’s other driver, Lando Norris, who is in his seventh season in Formula 1. The racing world and numerous analysts have labeled Norris the favorite to win the 2025 drivers’ championship due to his experience and the speed of McLaren’s current package. However, many have overlooked Piastri, who, despite being only in his third year, consistently demonstrates much better composure than his fellow teammate.
Piastri’s impressive consistency since his rookie season in 2023 has enabled him to equal a remarkable statistic once achieved by the legendary Lewis Hamilton during his peak years driving for Mercedes. Between the 2016 Japanese Grand Prix and the 2018 French Grand Prix, Hamilton finished an astonishing 33 consecutive races without a DNF (Did Not Finish). Now, Piastri has matched that feat by finishing every race since the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix, up to the recently concluded Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
This achievement places Piastri joint fourth in the all-time list for consecutive finishes, alongside the former German driver Nick Heidfeld, who had a streak running from the 2007 Chinese Grand Prix until the 2009 Italian Grand Prix. As of now, Piastri is tied for fourth with an exceptional record, demonstrating his ability to compete at a high level consistently.
With Piastri’s streak still active, he aspires not only to continue finishing races this season but also to secure points in as many as possible, particularly as he vies for his maiden title. If the 24-year-old can complete all of the remaining 16 races this season, he will surpass Hamilton’s all-time record of 48 consecutive finishes, achieved between the 2018 British Grand Prix and the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen also ranks highly on this list, having finished 43 consecutive races before his streak ended last year in Jeddah. Following that, Verstappen experienced a retirement in Australia, highlighting the unpredictability that can arise in the sport. While Piastri deserves credit for his remarkable consistency, it’s essential to acknowledge McLaren’s role in this success. For a driver to maintain a streak of finishes, they need a reliable car, and it is evident that McLaren has provided that in abundance.
Interestingly, McLaren has emerged as the only team in the 2025 season without any retirements. Even though Norris did not finish the Austrian Grand Prix, he completed over 90% of the race, thus not officially counted as a retirement. Remarkably, McLaren achieved a historic milestone last season by being the first team to finish every race without a single mechanical retirement, further emphasizing their reliability. While Norris may not have finished the previous year’s Austrian Grand Prix due to a collision with Verstappen, he was ultimately classified as having completed the race.
Oscar Piastri’s impressive consistency in F1 2025 has marked him as a serious contender not only for this season but potentially for future championships as well. As the races unfold, fans and experts alike will be watching with bated breath to see if he can maintain this momentum, push for points, and ultimately chase the title that could solidify his emerging legacy in Formula 1.
