Oscar Piastri has revealed how Fernando Alonso contributed to his rapid rise from Formula 1 reserve driver to title contender in just a few years.
The Australian is favourite to become the country’s third World Champion, leading the title race by 31 points from McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.
Piastri joined the papaya squad from Alpine for the 2023 season, quitting the Enstone-based outfit when it had originally announced him as Aston Martin-bound Alonso’s replacement.
In that short time, Piastri’s rise has been meteoric, becoming a Grand Prix-winner last year, and now perched at the top of the standings, is on the verge of greatness.
Piastri was full of praise for Alonso when asked about his influence ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix last month, a race which helped him secure his current points buffer.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Fernando,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“I think he’s definitely a driver where the stats don’t tell the full story of his career, and I think he’s definitely one of the best drivers that the sport has seen. I get on well with him.
“He’s someone that’s very fierce on track, but I think he’s obviously an incredible driver and I’ve been through a lot of different eras.”
Results and stats don’t do Alonso’s brilliance justice – Piastri
Alonso is very much F1’s evergreen driver, still able to perform at a high level at the age of 43, having begun his career in the sport back in 2001, making his debut a month before Piastri’s birth.
Piastri cited his time within the Alpine ranks with Alonso, having naturally spent time observing the Spaniard’s methods and ability, which helped him become a double World Champion.
“I think watching him work as well a few years ago was quite eye-opening in terms of the questions he was asking, the things he was thinking of, which ultimately probably indirectly sped up some of my learning a little bit,” he added.
“He’s a fantastic driver and again, I don’t think his results or stats tell honestly even close to the story of his talent.”
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