Verstappen hails Piastri’s calm as key to title fight

Max Verstappen has publicly praised Oscar Piastri for his calm and composed approach to racing. The praise came in the aftermath of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where Piastri clinched his third victory in just five races, pushing the young Australian to the top of the drivers’ standings in only his third season with McLaren

Verstappen, who finished second in Jeddah after a controversial five-second penalty, was quick to shift the spotlight to Piastri’s rise. “He’s very calm in his approach, and I like that. It shows on track. He delivers when he has to, barely makes mistakes, and that’s what you need when you want to fight for a championship,” Verstappen told reporters on Monday. 

It’s beyond obvious that Piastri’s steady progression has not gone unnoticed by his rivals. After debuting in 2023 and showing promise in his sophomore year, Piastri has now stepped up as McLaren’s lead driver, outpacing his highly rated teammate, Lando Norris. 

Part of Verstappen’s admiration stems from Piastri’s ability to deliver results with minimal errors: “People forget a little bit last year was his second year. Now he’s in his third year, and he’s very solid,” Verstappen explained. “He delivers when he has to, barely makes mistakes. That’s what you need when you want to fight for a championship”.

This calm under fire was visible during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where Piastri stayed cool amid on-track controversy, eventually taking the win. 

The Dutch driver also touched on the positive influence of Mark Webber, Piastri’s manager and former F1 star, suggesting that having an experienced mentor contributes to Piastri’s poise. “With Mark by his side, he’s helping him a lot. People learn from their own careers… but at the end of the day, Oscar has to do the job, and he’s using his talent. That’s great to see,” Verstappen remarked.