Piastri: Alonso's Influence Accelerated My F1 Driver Development

Oscar Piastri has lauded Fernando Alonso's lasting impact on his Formula 1 career, crediting the two-time World Champion with helping shape his approach to the sport. Piastri, currently leading the Drivers' Championship, stated that observing Alonso's meticulous methods indirectly sped up his own learning curve.

Why it matters:

A rising star and championship leader, Oscar Piastri, attributes a significant part of his rapid development in Formula 1 to the insights gained from observing veteran Fernando Alonso. This highlights the crucial role of mentorship and knowledge transfer, even indirect, in the highly competitive world of F1.

The big picture:

Piastri's journey to the top of F1 has been swift, moving from Alpine to McLaren in 2023 and quickly establishing himself as a formidable competitor. He has secured two Grand Prix wins in 2024 and added seven more victories this season, building a 31-point lead over Lando Norris in the Drivers' Championship. Before his dramatic switch to McLaren, Piastri was initially slated to replace Alonso at Alpine. It was during his time within the Alpine environment, observing Alonso up close, that Piastri says he absorbed valuable lessons that became foundational to his success.

Lessons from a master:

Piastri expressed immense respect for Alonso, acknowledging him as a unique figure in F1 whose career statistics don't fully convey his talent. "I think he's definitely one of the best drivers that the sport has seen," Piastri commented. Despite the generational gap – Alonso made his F1 debut weeks before Piastri was born – the Australian benefited significantly from sharing the same environment.

• Insightful Approach: Piastri revealed that watching Alonso work was "quite eye-opening" in terms of the specific questions he asked and his thought processes.
• Accelerated Learning: This close observation indirectly "sped up some of my learning a little bit," contributing to Piastri's rapid adaptation to F1's demands.

What's next:

The lessons gleaned from Alonso have clearly propelled Piastri's career. Now in his third season with McLaren, he stands on the cusp of becoming a Formula 1 World Champion, potentially joining Jack Brabham and Alan Jones as only the third Australian to achieve this feat. His continued success will solidify the impact of these early influences on his trajectory.