Formula 1 2025: Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner has backed Australian star Oscar Piastri

We’re only two rounds into the 2025 Formula 1 season, but former Haas team chief Guenther Steiner has already seen enough to know who he is putting his money on as the world champion.

Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner is backing Australian star Oscar Piastri for this year’s Formula 1 world title, saying his stunning weekend in Shanghai showed he “had the edge” over McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

The papaya squad established itself as the “team to beat” this season, according to Steiner, after winning the opening two races of the year.

Norris won a rain-soaked season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, while Piastri completed a near perfect weekend in China to boost his own title credentials.

Bouncing back from the disappointment of his home race in Melbourne when he spun out in the rain while pursuing Norris for the lead and finishing ninth, Piastri took a flawless win from pole position in China to cap his strongest weekend in F1 to date.

McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri celebrates his victory at the Chinese Grand Prix. Picture: AFP

It was the first time Piastri, who also finished second in the China sprint race, had started on pole en route to his third grand prix win.

The Melbourne-born racer sits fourth in the drivers’ standings after the first two rounds with just 10 points separating himself and championship-leading teammate Norris.

But it is Piastri who has caught Steiner’s attention.

The former F1 team boss said Piastri was the driver he would be putting his money on now if he had to pick a world champion after the first two grand prix.

“I think Oscar at the moment has got the edge (on Norris). In China, in my opinion, he showed that he has got the edge,” Steiner told the Red Flags Podcast.

“All the time he was better (in China), I would say.

Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner says Oscar Piastri would be his tip if he had to back a world champion now. Picture: AFP

“If I had to put money now on the world champion, I would put it on Oscar Piastri.

“When you saw him speaking after the pole position in qualifying in the interview, he seemed to be pretty happy.

“You could really see he’s enjoying it and I think he wants more of it because he enjoyed that quite a bit.

“I think he is in a good position now.”

The win in China followed Piastri’s grand prix victories in Hungary and Azerbaijan last year.

For his part, Piastri, who earlier this month signed a new contract with McLaren keeping him at the team until at least 2028, is confident he has what it takes to become world champion.

“I enjoy being in that position of expectation,” Piastri told The Times.

Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner takes time out with F1 fans. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“I’m certainly not in the sport just to make up the numbers. I am here because I want to become a world champion. Over the past couple of seasons, I have proven to myself, more than anyone, that I’ve got what it takes.

“I don’t think that I’m at the peak of what I’m capable of, but I’m trying my absolute best to get there as quickly as possible. I know when I have my best weekends, they’re good enough to beat the very best.”

Piastri led home a McLaren one-two in Shanghai with Norris surviving late brake drama to finish runner-up.

Steiner said the 2024 constructors’ champions were the early benchmark team, but warned they could not afford to make “any mistakes” to allow their rivals to attack.

“I wouldn’t say that nobody can compete with McLaren anymore,” Steiner said.

“It’s not as easy as it looks because you saw it in the sprint (in China) – if they don’t do it perfectly, they lose.

“McLaren can’t make any mistakes because there’s always someone ready to beat them.

“But if they do it perfectly, I think they’re definitely the team to beat. And yes, they were way ahead of the rest, but we’re not talking about a whole lap or something like that. Mercedes, for example, also has good speed.”

Formula 1 resumes with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka this weekend.

Originally published as Formula 1 2025: Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner has backed Australian star Oscar Piastri