Jess
From “champion of sitting on the couch” to F1 championship leader in just three years, Oscar Piastri is not throwing away his shot.
With six wins and six podiums this season, he holds the top spot in the championship as he heads into the final ten rounds, although he ranks second in our mid-season evaluations.
Oscar Piastri embodies the phrase “preparation meets opportunity.” His calm demeanor, relentless work ethic, and strategic mindset propelled him to win three junior championships consecutively.
From the moment he earned the chance to represent Australia on the world karting stage, Piastri demonstrated maturity both as a person and a driver. After two years honing his skills in F1, he now aims to add the most prestigious motorsport championship to his accolades.
Fourteen races in, the 23-year-old Australian has six wins (most wins by an Australian in a single F1 season), the championship lead, and a reputation that’s quietly shifting from “McLaren’s calm rookie” to “Formula 1’s most clinical operator.”
After this era being dubbed the “Lando Norris” era by McLaren CEO Zak Brown, following Norris’ standout 2024 performance, Oscar Piastri turned up at round one with a point to prove.
From the wet and dirt of a disappointing finish at his home race, Piastri showed up at the Chinese Grand Prix with a point to prove, and left with the beginnings of a championship challenge.
Despite starting the season in P9, he overtook teammate Lando Norris to claim the championship lead in Saudi Arabia, the fifth round of the 24-race season.
Championship Challenge
Piastri’s pursuit of the championship comes as no surprise. The MCL39 has transformed into a formidable car, and McLaren could clinch the constructors’ championship in Baku if their pattern of 1-2 finishes continues.
But it’s not just the car that’s led to Piastri’s success. While a fast car can make or break a driver’s chances, not all fast cars have quick and consistent drivers.
It’s “luck” (incredible talent at the McLaren Technology Centre) that Piastri has a fast car; it’s preparation meeting this “luck” that has given Piastri the chance at winning this year’s championship.
Over the winter break, Piastri has made giant leaps in his qualifying and race performances to ensure he was ready. He knew there was a chance at becoming world champion this year, and like Hamilton in “Non-Stop”, he is not throwing away his shot.
Piastri’s Development
Last year, Piastri showcased impressive race pace and improved tire management, finishing P4 in the championship. However, qualifying errors often hindered his Sundays.
While Norris secured poles and wins, Piastri struggled with track limits and gravel.
Within the Bad-Saturday-Good-Sunday cycle was a clear line of steady development. Piastri handled difficult (and sometimes downright bad) strategies with grace and maximum execution. He brought the car across the finish line every single race- one of four drivers in history to do so.
He became more assertive on the radio, making experienced decisions despite only one full year under his belt.
In a wet Brazil Qualifying, Oscar was one of the first to switch to the intermediate tyre, waiting until the middle of the Q2 session after everyone else had run on full-wet tyres, instead of setting down a wet-tyre banker lap of his own first. Proof that he learnt the most critical lesson: risk is worth the reward.
In China 2024, Piastri was several tenths slower on race pace and seconds behind his teammate. Twelve months later, the story was completely different.
Key McLaren figures like Andrea Stella and Tom Stallard have consistently asserted that Piastri has more to offer, and this year, he’s proving them right. He has always possessed speed and strong racecraft, but now he also excels in tire management.
His hard work during the winter break, coupled with his candid acknowledgement of his qualifying struggles, has provided him with the final piece of the championship puzzle.
Piastri secured his first pole position at the Chinese Grand Prix and has not qualified lower than fourth since the season began, often within 0.200 seconds of the top times, including four poles to his name.
He’s transformed a 20-4 qualifying battle in 2024 into a level playing field through sheer determination and hard work, leaving no stone unturned.
His recent victory in Belgium marked a cathartic moment.
After two challenging wet races at Silverstone and Albert Park, overtaking his teammate in wet conditions and maintaining a strong performance on medium tires against a hard-tyred Norris demonstrated to the F1 world that Oscar Piastri is no longer a “tire-muncher” but can deliver performances comparable to Russell, Leclerc, Norris, and Verstappen.
“I felt I could win races on my good days last year, but there were bad runs in between, so this year has been about reaching my potential more consistently.”
Oscar Piastri – Hungarian GP Press Conference
Glimpses of Verstappen-esque dominance are emerging, as seen in weekends like Bahrain, where Piastri maintained significant margins over the competition in practice, qualifying, and the race, ultimately finishing 15 seconds ahead of Russell after a safety car period. Barcelona showcased similar dominance.
He’s delivering the kind of consistency that makes engineers relax and rivals sweat.
Since his debut, Piastri has consistently identified his strong performances and areas for improvement, even on weekends where he excelled. His relentless drive to be the best fuels a work ethic that many can only aspire to—an ethic that Andrea Stella likens to that of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.
McLaren boss Zak Brown succinctly stated, “Oscar is a machine. What’s impressive is how aggressive he is, yet he always brings the car home.” This paradox sets his F1 career apart.
Though for those who have been paying attention, these kinds of performances were always on the cards. His dominance in F2, a sprint pole and win in his first year (MCL60 being considerably slower than the RB19 and the McLaren car we see now), the win in Baku with the marginally faster Ferrari on his tail following a superb, outlandish, aerodynamically improbable overtake all shone a light on his potential.
However, perfection doesn’t exist in F1. Losing Imola, a hard weekend at Monaco, several lock-ups while fighting for the lead, and the Silverstone penalty that cost him a podium, all show how razor-thin the margins are.
Mistakes like the one in Silverstone, in Australia and in Japan, where his qualifying lap could have been pole position if not for a costly error in sector 1, have led to the championship battle being closer than Piastri would like.
But if you ask his race engineer, Tom Stallard, he says those mistakes will not repeat. Stallard praises Piastri’s rare ability to absorb feedback and apply it immediately: “He processes and executes at a speed you don’t normally see.”
Its this ability that has allowed Oscar Piastri to progress at rapid speed. Oscar’s 3rd season is a marker, as Franz Tost, ex-RB team principal who managed many Red Bull rookies, famously claimed that in today’s F1, new drivers only become on pace with the front in their 3rd year.
If this is the level of success Piastri has by only just being consistently on pace with the front, he has a bright future ahead of him, and championship will be his sooner rather than later.
The Norris–Piastri rivalry defines the season, with one-twos accumulating and the gap fluctuating week to week. After Hungary, the margin narrowed to nine, and team radio and debriefs hinted at a competitive edge. Piastri’s on-air priority was clear: beat Lando. The team’s goal? Keep both cars at the front. This tension isn’t dysfunction; it’s the price of victory.
Off the track
Piastri remains unflappable, giving low-key interviews with his focus fixed on the next race. There’s a quiet allure to his demeanor—a different kind of star power. No grandstanding, no “main character” theatrics. Just speed, clarity, and a commitment to let the results speak for themselves.
He’s chosen to focus on racing, and then building a legacy- the way of the old if you ask drivers such as Alain Prost, who’s mentioned his dislike of the increased media involvement in drivers’ lives and careers.
Most recently, Piastri became an ambassador for My Room Children’s Cancer Charity, based in Australia, after meeting some of the children the charity support at the AusGP this year.
He’s also signed on with IMG Models under their sports division- though anyone who knows Oscar knows he isn’t a fashion personality, so the content of this partnership remains unclear.
Fans joke that he’s a polite cat, a laid-back guy. The media spins an Ice-Man narrative. The truth lies somewhere in between. He may seem nonchalant, but he is a pilot laser-focused on his goal of winning a championship, ready to take every win, loss, strength, and weakness in stride, even with a few jokes.
His privacy, calm mentality, and introverted nature should not be mistaken for indifference. Oscar Piastri ranks among the twenty best drivers in the world, and he strives to be number one when the checkered flag waves in Abu Dhabi.
“History has its eyes on you.”
