Oscar Piastri has the potential to become \u201ca truly great driver,\u201d according to Red Bull\u2019s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko.<\/p>\n
The influential motorsport figure suggested the young Australian has come on from his breakout performances in F1 2024, though he is still no match for Max Verstappen.<\/p>\n
Helmut Marko: Oscar Piastri could become \u2018a truly great driver\u2019<\/p>\n
Helmut Marko has highlighted Oscar Piastri as the stronger of McLaren\u2019s two drivers.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old currently leads the drivers\u2019 championship by nine points over teammate Lando Norris having won six races in the opening 14 rounds of F1 2025.<\/p>\n
Norris has won five, including three of the last four, with the duo proving closely matched.<\/p>\n
However, it is Piastri\u2019s consistency which gives him the edge in Marko\u2019s estimations.<\/p>\n
\u201cPiastri has the nerve, is more consistent, and always gets the best out of himself. I\u2019ve never seen him so emotionally charged,\u201d he told F1-Insider. \u201cNorris may be faster per lap, but overall I see Piastri ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
A winner in Formula Regional, Formula 3, and Formula 2 in successive seasons, Piastri\u2019s rise to F1 was meteoric.<\/p>\n
Since arriving with McLaren in 2023, he\u2019s developed a reputation for building into a weekend and being unflappable under pressure.<\/p>\n
The former trait enabled him to bank laps throughout his formative season, resulting in more seat time \u2013 a valuable commodity for a young driver.<\/p>\n
His low-risk approach has also played out in races, with the Australian currently on the fourth-longest points scoring run in F1 history, 40 races, stretching back to the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix. In F1 2024, he was the only driver on the grid to complete every racing lap.<\/p>\n
That has helped expedite his own personal development such that, where qualifying was a weak point last year, he\u2019s winning that internal battle with Norris 6-8 (6-11 including Sprints) in F1 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cPiastri has had an incredible career and is improving year after year,\u201d Marko observed. \u201cHe had some major fluctuations last year, depending on the track. That\u2019s no longer the case.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Verstappen is Verstappen. He [Piastri] still has a long way to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe potential to become a truly great driver is there, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
More on Oscar Piastri<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udc49 Oscar Piastri reveals key McLaren advantage over title rivals<\/a><\/p>\n