Every driver goes through stages where they’re at the very top of their game and at a slight ebb.
The magic of drivers like Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso – and arguably one of the main reasons why they’re Formula 1 champions – is because they’re able to minimise the differences between the peaks and troughs in their form.
Speaking on The Chequered Flag Podcast, former F1 racing driver Jolyon Palmer was commenting on one driver who is performing below where he would be expecting right now.
With so many fluctuations between each track and how each car performs, the best way to determine how well a driver is doing is by comparing them to their teammate.
That are sometimes some discrepancies – just ask Logan Sargeant whether he’s had the same car as Alex Albon all season – but ultimately the head-to-head battle is the most important one to focus on for many drivers.
Palmer has admitted that while he has incredibly high hopes for McLaren star Oscar Piastri, he’s been ‘slightly underwhelming’ in recent races.
He’s still at the very start of his Formula 1 career and is up against one of the fastest drivers on the grid in Lando Norris.
However, with McLaren now arguably possessing the fastest car on the grid, the expectation will be that Piastri can support Norris in racing at the very front of the pack at every race.
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Jolyon Palmer says Oscar Piastri has been ‘slightly underwhelming’ recently
Talking about the young Australian, Palmer said: “In some ways on paper, [Oscar] Piastri’s sort of, I hate to say it, slightly underwhelming at the moment.
“Bearing in mind this is a former F3 champion, former F2 champion, that Alpine really wanted.
“He ditched them to go to McLaren, there was a clamour for his signature and he is really much second driver at McLaren in terms of the feeling of the team.
“[Lando] Norris, we’re talking about him winning a race, potentially winning others, we’re not quite there with Piastri yet.
“But there are some outstanding glimpses of promise. Monaco was his best chance, but let’s not forget Imola, he should have qualified on the front row but the team let him down in qualifying with communication.
“He is an outstanding talent, but I also think Norris is a superb driver, I do really rate Lando.
“There are some things that he’s not putting completely together to become a multiple-race winner.
“But Norris is one of the best drivers in the field and it’s not an easy benchmark for Piastri, so when they’re very close that is Piastri showing that he can be a future champion.”
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Oscar Piastri still a potential future world champion for McLaren
Piastri’s weekend in Spain didn’t go to plan and his failure in Q3 epitomised his struggles at the Circuit de Catalunya.
It’s a track that every driver knows so well because it’s used so often but that means that even though Piastri is familiar with it, his rivals still have an advantage over him.
However, as Palmer mentions he’s shown glimpses this season of being an unbelievable talent.
His qualifying performance in Imola was stunning and it’s surprising that his 2 place finish in Monaco is his only podium of the season thus far.
There’s a reason why Red Bull chief Helmut Marko considers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris the strongest driver pairing on the grid.
The post ‘Not quite there’: Jolyon Palmer admits ‘outstanding’ F1 star is ‘slightly underwhelming’ at the moment appeared first on F1 Oversteer.