Former Formula 1 race winner Mark Webber has said that Oscar Piastri’s sprint race victory at the Qatar Grand Prix highlighted the young Australian’s supreme talent.
Piastri had an incredible debut season in F1, which earned him the well-deserved Rookie of the Year award. His exceptional performances allowed him to secure a ninth-place finish in the drivers’ championship with McLaren.
At just 22 years old, Piastri joined the ranks of Lewis Hamilton, becoming the first driver since 2007 to achieve multiple podium finishes in his first season. He was also one of the only two non-Red Bull drivers who were able to snatch a race win from the dominant world champions in 2023.
His memorable victory took place in Qatar during the sprint race. Starting from pole position, Piastri skillfully held off Max Verstappen in the final stages of the race, ultimately claiming the win.
Piastri subsequently demonstrated his prowess once again on the subsequent day, securing an impressive second position in the primary race, trailing only Verstappen. Remarkably, he maintained his composure amidst scorching temperatures.
Piastri ahead of schedule
Piastri’s manager, Webber, has now disclosed just how much the McLaren team admired the 22-year-old’s ability to handle the pressure from the three-time world champion during the sprint race.
“It was truly captivating to listen to the radio,” Webber shared with Autosport.
“He was calmly saying, ‘just inform me when Max overtakes George [Russell],’ and lo and behold, it happened. And the way he prepared himself for Max’s potential arrival, the McLaren team was genuinely impressed, saying, ‘wow, that was the kind of skill you’d expect from someone with three or four years of experience, maybe?’.”
We really appreciate Oscar for all the great things he brings. It’s natural to have some gaps, and that’s okay. However, in the next couple of years, we’ll gradually work on narrowing those gaps.
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