Ralf Schumacher's had a bit of a rethink about Oscar Piastri lately. The former F1 driver and pundit reckons the Australian has lost some of that sparkle he once had, especially when you compare him to his McLaren teammate Lando Norris right now. It's been a tough 2026 for Piastri, truth be told. Some races he's looked decent and picked up a couple of podiums, but he just can't seem to click with the new McLaren. Meanwhile, Norris, who won the championship last year, is absolutely dominating him in the first half of the season.

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The wheelbase situation on McLaren's new car is clearly doing Piastri's head in. The shorter setup offers less grip, and he's struggling to adapt where Norris thrives. But here's the thing, Schumacher reckons there's more to it than just car setup. He's suggested that Piastri still hasn't fully recovered from losing last year's title fight, and that mental battle is playing out on track this season. The Australian's found himself firmly in Norris' shadow, which is a brutal place to be for a driver of his caliber.

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What makes this more interesting is how Schumacher's tune has completely changed on potential moves. Red Bull were supposedly looking at Piastri as an option if Max Verstappen's future got sorted, especially with Carlos Sainz also in the mix. But Schumacher's now saying he doesn't reckon Piastri's the strongest candidate for Milton Keynes anymore. Instead, he reckons Carlos Sainz would be the better shout, bringing experience and consistency to partner alongside Isack Hadjar.

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Schumacher put it bluntly on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, saying Piastri's 'lost a bit of his shine' and is no longer the massive talent everyone was talking about. It's harsh but fair based on how 2026 has gone. The bigger question now is whether Piastri can bounce back and remind everyone why he was touted as a genuine future champion, or if this season marks the start of a decline that could reshape the driver market.

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