Oscar Piastri believes his extensive experience winning junior series championships in various ways could be a crucial advantage in his Formula 1 title battle against teammate Lando Norris.
Why it matters
Piastri currently holds a nine-point lead over Norris as the F1 season prepares to resume at the Dutch Grand Prix, with 10 rounds and 475 points still up for grabs, including three Sprint race weekends. This battle for the top spot highlights the increasing pressure on both drivers.
The big picture
Piastri boasts a formidable junior career, having clinched the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019, FIA F3 in 2020, and FIA F2 in 2021, all in his rookie seasons. In contrast, while Norris also had a strong junior record—winning Formula Renault Eurocup and the 2017 FIA Euro F3 title—he notably finished second to George Russell in the 2018 FIA F2 season, securing only one victory.
The details
Piastri elaborated on his diverse championship-winning strategies, stating to McLaren:
- "In Formula Renault, I was quick but made quite a few mistakes."
- "In F3, my ultimate pace wasn’t as good, but I was consistently there and in the fight."
- "In F2, I think that was the best of the three in how I combined pace with consistency."
This experience taught him that "there is no one single way to win a championship" and emphasized the importance of knowing when to take risks versus prioritizing consistency. He aims to become Australia's third F1 champion, following Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones.
What's next
Piastri acknowledges that the real pressure of a title fight has yet to fully manifest. "The pressure is only going to increase from here," he noted. "When we get to the latter part of the year, that is when the pressure will ramp up." He expects his focus to shift from maximizing individual weekend results to a more strategic, championship-oriented approach.