Any comparison between McLaren sophomore Oscar Piastri and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher appears to be premature at this stage of the Australian’s career.
Oscar Piastri has yet to win an official Formula 1 race and has competed in only 27 Grand Prix but has shown signs of having huge potential.
Formula 1 expert and journalist Mark Hughes has explained on The Race Podcast what Piastri is capable of doing that reminds him of Michael Schumacher.
McLaren youngster Oscar Piastri compared to Michael Schumacher
Young drivers are finding it more and more difficult to earn an opportunity in Formula 1.
There are only 20 seats available and teams are increasingly cautious – much to the anger of Eddie Jordan – to hand rookies their first opportunity.
That looks set to change in 2025, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson pushing for a seat on the grid.
However, in 2022 teams were fighting amongst themselves to hand Oscar Piastri his first drive in F1.
Despite being in Alpine’s academy, they missed out on the Australian despite a race seat becoming available following Fernando Alonso’s move to Aston Martin, with McLaren partnering him with Lando Norris.
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While Piastri didn’t remind anyone of Michael Schumacher on debut as his McLaren chugged along near the back of the back, once the car improved, Piastri showed his potential.
He was learning new tracks on a weekly basis towards the end of the season but that didn’t stop him from earning a Sprint Race victory in Qatar.
Tough races in Japan and China this season have caused Nico Rosberg to question one aspect of his driving style.
However, Mark Hughes is adamant that something he’s seen in the Australian reminds him of some of Formula 1’s greatest drivers.
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Oscar Piastri is destined to become Formula 1’s next ‘megastar’
Talking about Piastri’s start to 2024 and his driving style, Hughes said: “With a rookie, the peaks you see are the real potential, it’s not the averages.
“There was this expectation that he would be able to deliver big every time he got in the car this year and would have been great if he had but it’s a bit more complex than that with these tyres and experience it really does matter when there’s not much testing.
“Last weekend, for example, a Sprint weekend on a track he’s never raced on before is a very harsh test.
“I do think it’s just data and miles. At his best, the aero balance he can live with, with the car all in the front, it’s pinned on the nose at crazy high speeds.
“It’s like Max [Verstappen] or [Michael] Schumacher before him, way more than [Lando] Norris in terms of how he has the car.
“But it’s not an instant of a translation of that potential as some. Anyone who can do some of the fast corner speeds we’ve seen him doing at his best is going to turn out to be incredible when it all comes together.
“Nobody can do what he’s done when you look at it in detail has ever not turned out to be a megastar, but it’s been a little bit underwhelming in the first few races.”
Oscar Piastri’s next task in F1 is matching Lando Norris
McLaren won’t expect to see Michael Schumacher’s level of performance from Oscar Piastri any time soon but they’ll be aware of his incredible potential.
Another benefit of bringing in the 23-year-old is the effect he’s had on Lando Norris.
The Brit secured the 15 podium of his Formula 1 career in China with one of his best drives to date and has gone to another level in the past 12 months.
Giedo van der Garde described him as ‘something special’ and that’s a very fair assessment of his talents right now.
Piastri still has to improve in some areas, but very few drivers arrive on the grid immediately ready to challenge for race wins and podiums.
It speaks volumes that the last person to have as successful a debut season as the Australian was Lewis Hamilton.
The post 'Incredible': F1 expert shares Michael Schumacher-like trait Oscar Piastri has that will make him a ‘megastar’ appeared first on F1 Oversteer.