When Oscar Piastri walked through the paddock at the beginning of this Formula 1 season, his expression seemed petrified and his gaze went straight ahead. He only looked to the left or right to avoid strange pairs of eyes. He wanted to be spared from journalists, autograph hunters and other potential troublemakers. He came across as aloof.
Even his native Australia was a stranger to him, even though at 22 years old he is considered the most promising talent in the industry. Not just since last Sunday, when he finished the Qatari Grand Prix in second place behind long-time winner Verstappen and had even won the sprint race the day before.
Webber’s advice
Those who knew Piastri when he was not yet one of the elite pilots did not recognize him. The “Osc”, who once raced with remote-controlled cars, was always so funny, friendly and approachable. It’s easy to guess that his advisor, the nine-time Grand Prix winner Mark Webber, had advised the protégé not to attract attention as a newcomer to Formula 1.
Webber knew the scene would greet Piastri with suspicion. His signing with McLaren was preceded by a legal dispute with Alpine. This was clearly the fault of the French, but Piastri exposed himself with an unfortunate tweet (“I will not ride for Alpine.”). It was easy to recognize an arrogant youngster in these words.
Such reservations are long gone. It wasn’t just his driving skills that helped him quickly win over the industry, especially his McLaren racing team, which rushed to retain him early until the end of the 2026 season. Piastri is increasingly becoming “Osc” again.
After the exhausting Grand Prix in Qatar, he lounged on the floor of the relaxation room, as unabashed as he was exhausted, with key scenes from the race playing on a screen. The start, for example, where the Mercedes drivers collided, Alonso and Leclerc had to take evasive action, Piastri stayed calm behind and moved up from sixth to second place.
“It was fantastic for you!” commented teammate Lando Norris. Piastri didn’t even look, instead looked for the most comfortable lying position on the floor and casually answered in his refreshingly dry manner: “Perfect, yes. Couldn’t have gone better.”
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The fact that he allowed himself to be duped by Verstappen during the safety car restart was a gift. After less than a season it is clear: Oscar Piastri is an asset for Formula 1. And a winner.
