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“He’s Like a Sponge”: Mark Webber on What Makes Oscar Piastri a Special Talent

Somin Bhattacharjee
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“He’s Like a Sponge”: Mark Webber on What Makes Oscar Piastri a Special Talent

Just over a year into his F1 career, Oscar Piastri is already establishing himself as one of the best. Mark Webber, who has been supporting Piastri for a long time, thinks it is because of his ability to constantly learn and improve.

“He’s just like a sponge,” Webber said in a video posted on Australian GP’s YouTube.

The former Red Bull driver then spoke about how Piastri has improved at simulator duties and press commitments, while also becoming more mature since making his F1 debut in 2023.

“He’s a highly driven young lad…Which at that age, I certainly wasn’t,” Webber added. “So, that’s another string in his bow which he has over me.” Webber also stated that F1 has changed a lot over the years. He feels drivers need “different benchmark to win”, which is something Piastri has.

The Melbourne-born driver had an impressive rookie season in 2023, finishing in the top three twice and taking a sprint race win under his belt. This year, however, the 23-year-old has kicked things up a notch.

He became a race-winner thanks to his Hungarian GP victory, and with 10 races to go, he is in a great position to match and even beat his McLaren teammate.

Piastri to finish above Lando Norris?

Norris was outperforming Piastri for the first few races this season, but the Aussie started getting better and better as the season progressed.

Piastri is just 32 points behind Norris in the championship standings, and with 10 races left, it is a gap he can easily overturn. “I’m going to go bold and say Oscar second and Lando third,” Karun Chandhok revealed on the Fast and the Curious podcast.

Chandhok feels that Piastri is at the same level as Norris. In the last eight rounds leading up to the summer break, he outscored the Bristol-born driver by 10 points, which is extraordinary because Norris is considered a championship contender.

Post Edited By:Aishwary Gaonkar

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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