What Makes Oscar Piastri a Rare Survivor in F1’s Hostile Streak Against Young Drivers?

In the past few seasons, several young drivers have struggled to survive in F1. The likes of Logan Sargeant, Nyck de Vries, Mick Schumacher, and Nicholas Latifi have all been dropped from their teams because of their failure to meet the sides’ expectations. However, Oscar Piastri seems to be a rare survivor among them.

The Australian has been phenomenal ever since his debut in the sport last year. The McLaren driver has already secured multiple podiums and even two wins in only his second full F1 season.

Piastri has been so impressive that he even caught the eye of veteran photographer Kym Illman. In his latest YouTube video, Illman said,

“He’s in his second season and is now vying for wins with his teammate Lando Norris. Like Kimi Antonelli, Oscar Piastri was lauded as a potential new champion. He’s proved himself cool and calm in the car and has kept it away from the walls and other cars. His drive in Baku was a masterclass.”

OSCAR PIASTRI ON THE PODIUM IN HIS ROOKIE YEAR!! HE IS THAT GUY!! pic.twitter.com/E9yjrh6r03

— juniper (@junibvgs) September 24, 2023

Illman then also praised Franco Colapinto and labeled him a successful rookie despite the Argentine only having competed in three F1 races so far. However, Colapinto may not get the opportunity to showcase his potential in a full F1 season yet as all the teams, barring one, have already finalized their line-ups for 2025.

Colapinto set for the sidelines in the upcoming season

Audi is the only team that is yet to confirm their second driver for 2025 and reports claim that they are considering Colapinto. Speaking of the same, Illman said,

“We knew very little of Franco going back five weeks ago, but suddenly everyone is talking about this youngster. He hasn’t got a drive in 2025, and he may well just have to sit out 2025 as a Williams Reserve driver“.

Illman believes that if Colapinto fails to get the second seat at Audi, it is likely to frustrate him because the Argentine would believe that he deserves a seat in F1 after his impressive cameo so far. Colapinto may have only competed in three races but he has already scored a few crucial points for Williams.