Oscar Piastri has emerged as the main title challenger to Max Verstappen. At least, that’s how it seems. The Australian managed to keep the reigning champion behind him in Jeddah, marking his third victory of the season. In doing so, he also took the lead in the championship. Piastri did benefit from the time penalty Verstappen received, but he also drove another clinical race. Verstappen also bowed to his McLaren rival.
Whether Max Verstappen’s time penalty was justified or not, the fact is that Oscar Piastri claimed his third victory of the season in Saudi Arabia. That’s more than all the other drivers – Verstappen and Norris – combined. Moreover, the young Australian now leads the drivers’ championship; his lead over teammate Lando Norris is ten points. Verstappen, a seasoned champion with four titles, later explained why Piastri is a formidable opponent for the final victory.
‘That’s what you need for the championship’
“People often forget – last year was only his second year in Formula 1,” the Dutchman told the media in Jeddah. “Now he’s in his third year and he’s racing incredibly consistently. He’s very calm in his approach, and I appreciate that. You can see it on the track. He performs when it’s necessary and makes hardly any mistakes – that’s what you need if you want to fight for the championship.”
According to Verstappen, Piastri’s manager, former Red Bull driver Mark Webber, has played a significant role in the development of his 24-year-old competitor. He compared the role Webber plays to that of his own father and mentor, Jos Verstappen. “I think it’s a huge advantage that he has Mark (Webber) by his side,” the Dutchman explained. “People naturally learn from their own career – I had that with my father, and Oscar has that with Mark. Ultimately, he knows how Piastri can best utilize his talents, and that’s great to see.”
