One of the rarest qualities to have as a Formula 1 driver is to be extremely intense yet calm. And that’s how Oscar Piastri has been described by his race engineer, Tom Stallard, and McLaren’s team boss, Andrea Stella. And this unique demeanor of the 22-year-old Aussie is starting to catch the eyes of F1 experts. Oscar Piastri is being recognized as this new breed of young drivers who will soon rise to challenge the might of Max Verstappen.

Piastri’s journey through the junior ranks to reach Formula 1 has been exceptional, claiming championships successively in Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3, and Formula 2. However, it’s his rookie season with McLaren that has truly set him apart. Although McLaren started the season on the back foot, as soon as Piastri got the upgraded MCL60 underneath him, he quickly showed everybody what he could do in a decent car.

Max Verstappen will soon have to look over his shoulders for Oscar Piastri

With the upgraded MCL60, Piastri took the fight to Max Verstappen right away at the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint Race, even briefly leading him in tricky weather conditions. It was his first Sprint podium of the season. The Japanese Grand Prix witnessed another milestone in Piastri’s rookie season as he clinched his first Grand Prix podium at the iconic Suzuka Circuit. However, the best was yet to come.

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The Qatar Grand Prix became a turning point for Piastri, where he not only secured his first Sprint victory but also delivered a stellar performance in challenging race conditions. In Las Vegas, Oscar Piastri came through the pack with aggressive yet precise moves. He climbed from 18th on the grid to 7th, highlighting his ability to recover from setbacks. However, a late-race incident limited his final position to 10th.

In a recent episode of the Formula For Success podcast, former F1 team owner and expert Eddie Jordan shared his insights on Piastri’s trajectory. “Despite the great guidance that he’s having and will have, if Oscar can repeat the kind of things that he has repeated this year, slightly on a more consistent basis, I’ll be super impressed because he will go far. He is a new breed of young drivers,” said Jordan.

“He is long-term, somebody that Max will look over his shoulder at. And to see how he is progressing because he’s one of those characters that I think he could unleash himself into the highest echelons of Formula 1 in terms of records and careers and race wins long term,” he concluded.

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With Oscar Piastri quickly catching up to Lando Norris, there are more reasons to believe we will soon get a fierce rivalry between the McLaren duo. Can McLaren keep their two drivers under control?

McLaren can handle any tension between Norris and Piastri

McLaren’s CEO, Zak Brown, remains optimistic about the team’s ability to handle any potential friction between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Acknowledging the inevitable competition between the drivers, he highlighted the awareness that one driver would need to outperform the other on certain weekends. “There’s an awareness that any time you have two drivers, one is going to have to beat the other at some weekends,” Brown told Motorsport.com.

However, he expressed confidence in McLaren’s driver management capabilities, particularly those of Andrea Stella and himself, to ensure healthy competitiveness within the team. As the stakes rise with wins and podiums on the line, McLaren remains committed to fostering an environment that allows both Norris and Piastri to flourish.

“I feel Andrea’s and my strengths are around driver management, so I think we can get ahead of that and manage it to make sure it stays a healthy competitiveness,” Brown asserted.

Do you think Oscar Piastri will get his first Grand Prix win before Lando Norris gets his? And if so, will it change the driver power dynamics within the team? Share your thoughts down below in the comments.

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