Piastri responds to Verstappen's comments about dominating in a McLaren

Oscar Piastri has responded to the comments made by Max Verstappen after the Dutchman said that if he were in a McLaren, he would have dominated the Japanese Grand Prix.

Verstappen took a stunning pole position at Suzuka ahead of Lando Norris and Piastri in their McLarens, shocking the whole paddock with one of the best laps of his career.

The Red Bull Racing driver held on from the start to take his first win of the 2025 season, with the papaya-coloured cars unable to make a move in what was a tough race to make any overtakes.

Verstappen now sits just one point off Lando Norris in the championship

Piastri "quite happy" with his car after Verstappen's comments

After the Grand Prix, Verstappen came out and said that he would not have been seen by anyone on the grid if he had been behind the wheel of the McLaren, such is their superior pace. However, although it may have been light-hearted, Piastri thinks that might not have been the case.

"Yes, it was a bit of a joke. But I think if Max had qualified third and we were first and second, it probably would have looked quite different as well," the Australian explained at Thursday's Press Conference at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

"I think it was lighthearted, but I think qualifying made a very big difference. I don't think it's normal to have two cars sitting two seconds behind the leader for 50 laps, so I think it was kind of clear to see that our car was quicker. But yeah, I think the gaps would have been quite different if we had been the other way around from the start as well."

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McLaren will be looking to get back to winning ways in Bahrain, showing great pace around the Bahrain International Circuit during winter testing. But how would Piastri fare if we were behind the wheel of the RB21 alongside Verstappen?

"I don't know. I don't plan on finding out! I think, clearly, the car looks pretty difficult. I think we've seen that with Liam, I think we saw with Checo last year, and even with Yuki in Japan.

"So, again, I think going into an environment that has been so focused on the way Max drives for nearly 10 years now, I think it would be a very tough environment to go into and have immediate success. But I'm quite happy that I'm driving a McLaren and not a Red Bull at the moment," concluded the Australian.