Former Formula 1 driver Alan Jones is adamant Oscar Piastri will be Australia’s next F1 world champion despite a rocky start to the 21-year-old’s stint with McLaren.
Piastri has been one of the sport’s most hyped rookies since he won back-to-back F3 and F2 championship titles in 2020 and 2021 respectively. The Victorian replaced compatriot Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren ahead of the 2023 season following a dramatic contract saga with Alpine last year.
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Speaking to the Herald Sun this week, Jones predicted that Piastri has what it takes to become Australia’s third F1 world champion, joining himself and Jack Brabham.
“I think he can go on to be world champion,” the 1980 F1 world champion told the News Corp publication.
“Every now and again someone comes along that has got an enormous amount of talent and I reckon he is one of those sorts of people.
“Everything he has ever put his bum in, he has won and there are not too many people that can say that.
“He has certainly got the ability to go on and be a world champion.
“He is as impressive out of the car as what he is in the car. He handles himself extremely well. I think that apart from (delivering) the results for the team, he is also going to be very good for the sponsors.”
It’s been a tough start to the 2023 campaign for McLaren, with both drivers still searching for their first points of the year.
Piastri did not finish his debut race in Bahrain, lasting just 14 laps, and finished 15th in last week’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix after sustaining damage to his front wing during the opening lap.
However, the Australian proved his worth with an impressive qualifying session in Jeddah, starting eighth on the grid after progressing through to Q3.
“He has had a little bit of bad luck, none of which was his doing,” Jones said.
“But he has certainly shown the sort of performances that we expected that he would, particularly the last one (Saudi Arabia), I thought he drove particularly well.
“He hasn’t driven anything for 12 months, so to come in after a 12-month lay-off and then go to Formula One and go to circuits he has never been to before, it’s a bit of a steep learning curve for him.
“But as I said, I think he has got the ability and I think eventually he will take it to Lando and probably sooner rather than later.”
The F1 season resumes this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix, which gets underway at Albert Park on Sunday at 3pm.
An Australian has featured on the grid for the Melbourne race every year since 2002, but no local driver has ever stood on an Australian GP podium.
Mark Webber and Ricciardo both scored points in the Australian GP debut, placing fifth and ninth respectively, and Piastri will be hoping to continue that trend this weekend.
“It’s a massive privilege for me to be able to race in, not just my home country, but in my home city,” Piastri told Speedcafe.
“I grew up 10-15 minutes away from the circuit and could hear the hear the cars back when they were loud enough back at home in the backyard.
“I feel super privileged to have that opportunity, because it’s I think I’m one of very few people in the whole world, let alone Australia to have that chance.
“Melbourne will actually be my first race out of karting in Australia, so it’ll be my first time driving on an Australian circuit.
“I haven’t even done a track day or anything at Winton or Phillip Island.
“It’s going to be exciting for me to actually race on home soil again.
“I think the last time was 2015 in karting, so that’ll be special.”