Lewis Hamilton has been in F1 since 2007 and has won everything there is to win in the sport. His legacy might never be reciprocated by anyone else. While his on-track performances have played an important role in defining the legacy, his off-track endeavors have also been equally important. Noticing the same, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri claimed that he would love to emulate the former McLaren driver.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Piastri said,
“I think yes, it would be a nice thing to have. When you look at Lewis [Hamilton], everything he does off the track. You know, you go back a few years, and you look at someone like Sir Jackie [Stewart] as well. The safety he brought to Formula 1 and Motorsport, as well. So, you look at those kind of people, and it’s pretty special – the legacy they’ve left off the track. And it would be a nice thing to have for sure.”
Standing as the first and only black driver in the history of F1, Hamilton has always been aware of the lack of diversity in motorsports. The underrepresentation of the community led to him taking charge to change the stats. He set up the Hamilton Commission, which aims at improving the underrepresentation of black people in motorsports.
Additionally, Hamilton also set up a charitable foundation by the name of ‘Mission 44.’ It supports organizations, leaders, and ideas that work to improve the future of children who hail from underprivileged communities.
Keeping all this in mind, Piastri wants to develop an 0ff-track legacy too. The Australian driver’s impressive debut season made a lot of people believe that he will achieve great things in F1. Piastri, however, wants the same people to remember him for things he does away from the sport too.
Oscar Piastri currently on the right path to finding success
Having just turned 23, Oscar Piastri is still in his early years of F1. After an impressive rookie year in 2023, the Australian driver is hoping to continue his performances. Despite a lack of experience, the McLaren driver has quickly become one of the most highly-rated drivers on the grid. Much of it stems from the fact that he featured on the podium twice last year and ended the season in P9 in the drivers’ standings. Furthermore, he became the talk of the town following an impressive sprint session win over Max Verstappen in Qatar.
The consistently improving performances of Piastri gave way to comparisons between him and Lando Norris. Despite being in the sport since 2019, Norris is yet to win a race. He has often come close to achieving the feat but could never hold on to the lead. In 2024 so far, Piastri holds the lead over his senior teammate, albeit very slightly. The Australian is currently P5 in the rankings with 28 points. Meanwhile, Norris is only a point behind Piastri in P6.
As for McLaren, the start to life in 2024 has been much better for them than in 2023. After the first three races of the season, the Woking-based team sits in P3 in the constructors’ championship with 55 points. With one podium so far in the season, the Woking-based team will be hoping to bring in upgrade packages that will allow them to fight for a race win as the season goes on.
