Oustide Line: I saw a F1 World Champion drive by Piastri in China
F1 NewsTuesday, 25 March 2025 at 16:15
My admiration for Oscar Piastri, who is driving like a seasoned veteran well beyond his years, continues to grow with every race weekend, and at the Chinese Grand Prix, it received a growth spurt.
Australia was unkind to Piastri. It was a mighty blow. His home race, and he looked up for it. He did little wrong under treacherous conditions. Until he did. His McLaren sliding off into the grass while in a strong position, en route to a 'certain' podium—perhaps even a sensational home win—was a dagger to the heart.
With less than a week to regroup in China, the response from Piastri was extraordinary. He took his level up another notch with P2 behind Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in Saturday's Sprint Race, and a day later, Oscar was second to no one in the Grand Prix.
He had the measure of Norris all weekend in Shanghai, taking home the most points (32) and thrusting himself back into contention after that meagre two-point haul in Melbourne. Earned, mind you, through a gutsy comeback drive that will go down as one of the season’s highlights for me.
Piastri's statement victory in China signals his F1 title intent
For Sunday's race, Piastri lined up beside his teammate and went on to deliver a dominant race. A statement drive, truly, in the style of the greats to win it. "Masterful Piastri Heads McLaren 1-2" was our headline. He was masterful.
It was also great to see the camaraderie between the two McLaren drivers afterwards. Norris, relieved to finish P2 after running out of brakes late in the race, showed class in defeat. Together, they’re carving their own chapter of F1 history, attempting to write a partnership that doesn’t need to descend into toxic rivalry.
That may come, eventually. Most great teammate pairings in F1 do go pear-shaped. But for now, Norris and Piastri are raising the standard in terms of class and sportsmanship. So may it carry on and defy norms!
Some critics will argue they lack the killer instinct. That this kind of civility can’t last. That their style of racing isn’t sustainable. Sure, there may be daggers in the future. But until then, let’s just savour and enjoy what we’re witnessing.
F1 teammate reality: is friends today, bitter rivals tomorrow
But in Formula 1 - where beating your teammate is the first order of business - it will eventually come down to who can dig deeper into that 'bad guy' persona required at the highest level when you’re racing against the likes of Verstappen, Alonso, and Hamilton. There are no friends on track at this level.
McLaren will soon face difficult decisions. With a car this competitive, trying to rein in either driver would be foolish. The 'orders' in Australia riled not only fans, but Oscar would've been seething. 'Let them race' is a risky strategy, which means Zak Brown and Andrea Stella should be ready for the day that harmony disappears.
Back to Piastri. Veteran motorsport anorak and writer fame even likened Piastri to —one of the greatest to ever do it. Time will tell if the current-era F1 driver indeed has a Jimmy-like demeanour and will match his legendary achievements.
Like Piastri, nothing fazed the quiet-spoken Scottish farmer who went on to be F1 World Champion twice in nine seasons before his death at Hockenheim in 1968.
Piastri’s great escape from the Alpine mess
History shows that Piastri’s path to McLaren was rocky. Managed by Mark Webber, who brilliantly prised him out of the Alpine disaster zone - and yes, it remains a disaster zone - the French team had first dibs on the young Aussie but fumbled badly. Mercifully and most thankfully, considering the state of the two teams, Piastri landed at McLaren, to Alpine’s complete shock.
The deal was inked with McLaren for 2023, his break and F1 rookie season was secured, and the rest is his story being written at pace. Worth remembering, that pressure started early for Piastri. He had a lot to prove in his rookie season. He reportedly cost McLaren $15 million to replace Daniel Ricciardo. He did not disappoint.
It didn’t take long for Piastri to keep Lando Norris honest. He pushed him. Even beat him. He made the Englishman raise his game just about every GO weekend and, it has to be said, it was also happening vice versa. That’s been the magic of watching these two develop together, evolving in front of our very eyes.
Webber for Piastri is like Jos and Anthony were for their boys
Back to the Webber factor… I would argue that the nine-time Grand Prix winner makes a significant difference for Piastri. Because every great driver needs someone special in their corner. At least that's what recent history shows.
We’ve seen it before. Anthony Hamilton was there for Lewis. Jos Verstappen was ever-present for Max. These fathers were eyes and ears in the garage, in the VIP areas, in the transporter in the paddock, absorbing every detail behind the scenes to 'protect' their sons.
I believe Webber is fulfilling that same role for Piastri. A quiet force behind the scenes. A been-there-done-that voice of reason. A career-long sounding board. And I wonder how many other talented youngsters might’ve benefited from having a 'Webber' in their corner.
Where was Alex Albon’s guiding hand when he was lost at Red Bull? Or Pierre Gasly’s? Or Brendon Hartley’s? Or Jaime Alguersuari’s? So many young talents were left to flounder in the piranha pool that is Formula 1, without a mentor to shield and guide them.
Credit to Webber for being that figure for Oscar. Because what we’re watching here is something special. At 23, Piastri is going to be a name you’ll hear for a very long time.
And dare I say it, if there’s a driver on the current grid with the potential to reach the heights of Alonso or Hamilton or Verstappen, I’d wager on Piastri becoming an F1 world champion before Norris. In China, Piastri showed World Champ class, at least in my eyes.
Who will be F1 World Champion first: Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris?
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