What Makes Oscar Piastri as Good as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen?

Oscar Piastri has shown he can regularly compete for race wins in F1. His recent win at the Azerbaijan GP – his second of the season – sparked talks about his true potential. Ben Anderson from The Race even compared him to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

On The Race F1’s podcast, Piastri’s incredible overtake at Monza and his race-winning move in Baku were being discussed. Anderson explained that overall, Piastri’s race-craft is what makes him so special.

“Knowing when to attack, when to defend, how to position your car, how to lose the minimum amount of time when you have to take the less-than-ideal line. Piastri looks every bit as good as the best guys out there in that regard, Verstappen, Hamilton,” the F1 expert stated. 

✨️ Oscar Piastri became the 81st driver in F1 to win more than 1 race.

Yes. 81. Meant to be pic.twitter.com/hjHYuslWTQ

— McLaren News | (@McLarenF1_News) September 17, 2024

Anderson also noted Piastri’s “ice-cold demeanor” as a standout quality. He compared having Piastri in the car to having an F1 engineer onboard, highlighting Piastri’s clear communication and ability to stay calm under pressure.

Additionally, Anderson praised Piastri’s sharpness and his laser focus on results. He even compared Piastri’s emotional detachment to that of three-time World champion Jackie Stewart, suggesting that the Aussie shows little emotion.

While these traits could make Piastri a future World champion, they might pose an immediate challenge for McLaren.

McLaren’s two ‘number one drivers’ problem 

After McLaren emerged as the fastest team on the grid midway through the 2024 season, Piastri and Lando Norris were given the freedom to battle each other. This surprised many, as it risked costing McLaren valuable points in the Constructors’ Championship and potentially creating friction between the drivers.

Tensions flared at Monza earlier this month when Piastri overtook Norris on the first lap, dropping McLaren from a 1-2 to a 2-3 and costing both the team and Norris valuable points.

In response, McLaren acknowledged its mistake and instructed Piastri to support Norris in his Drivers’ Championship bid. Team Principal Andrea Stella emphasized that Piastri would be acting as Norris’ deputy.

However, Piastri is unlikely to accept a permanent second-driver role. With only 32 points separating him from Norris in the championship, McLaren faces a challenge in fully prioritizing Norris.

In 2025, McLaren will need to be careful in maintaining fairness between both drivers. Any misstep could risk fracturing the team.