Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has praised Oscar Piastri as a driver with the potential to become a truly great presence in Formula 1. Speaking amid the intensity of the 2025 F1 season, Marko highlighted the Australian‘s impressive progress since his debut year, acknowledging that while he has not yet matched Max Verstappen’s level, Piastri’s growth stands out.
Currently, Piastri leads the drivers‘ championship by nine points over his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, having secured six wins in the first 14 rounds of F1 2025. Although Norris has claimed five victories, including three of the last four races, the close competition emphasizes the strength of the McLaren duo.
Consistency and Composure Set Piastri Apart, Says Marko
Helmut Marko has singled out Piastri’s consistency and composure as key factors giving him an edge over Norris in their ongoing intra-team battle. The 24-year-old is noted for always pushing himself while maintaining emotional control during races.
Piastri has the nerve, is more consistent, and always gets the best out of himself. I’ve never seen him so emotionally charged,
Marko said in an interview with F1-Insider.
Norris may be faster per lap, but overall I see Piastri ahead.
Oscar Piastri’s rapid ascent through motorsport has been remarkable, with championships in Formula Regional, Formula 3, and Formula 2 in consecutive years fueling his fast-track entry into Formula 1. His debut season with McLaren in 2023 laid a foundation of steady improvement, as he earned valuable seat time while refining his racecraft and qualifying performances.
Piastri’s Race Strategy and Reliability Underline His Development
Piastri’s approach to racing emphasizes minimizing risk, allowing him to maintain one of the longest points-scoring streaks in F1 history. His current run stretches to 40 consecutive races, dating back to the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix. In addition, Piastri was the only driver in the 2024 season to complete every lap, underscoring his exceptional reliability.
This consistency has played a key role in his improved qualifying results during the 2025 season, where he holds the advantage over Norris six to eight in standard qualifying sessions, and six to eleven including sprint events.
Piastri has had an incredible career and is improving year after year,
Marko noted.
He had some major fluctuations last year, depending on the track. That’s no longer the case.
Despite these advancements, Marko emphasized that Verstappen remains in a class of his own, noting that Piastri still has much to achieve before reaching that level.
The potential to become a truly great driver is there, though.
Insights from Oscar Piastri on the Championship Race
Oscar Piastri, leading the drivers’ championship with a narrow margin, remains pragmatic about the fluctuating points difference with his rivals. After finishing second to Norris at the Hungarian Grand Prix, he acknowledged the championship gap had shrunk but stressed that the title fight has been closely contested throughout.
The biggest lead of the year has been 23, and it’s not moved within 10 points for the last ten races almost,
Piastri said following the Hungarian round.
So, I’m not really that fussed with that. Obviously, it would have been nice to have the extra points, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a trend. One second different, and the trend would have looked quite different.
Things happening in the last few races differently could have meant quite a different picture. But you can say that about pretty much every race this year and about every championship ever.
So, I’m not concerned at all,
he added.
I think the pace for the first half of the year has been very, very strong, and I think the last few races as well have been very good.
I feel like I’ve driven a lot of strong races, and it’s been very tightly fought. So, I expect more of the same after the break.
The F1 calendar resumes at the end of August with the Dutch Grand Prix scheduled for August 29-31, setting the stage for the second half of the season where Piastri will look to maintain his championship challenge.
