Melbourne-born Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri could stand on a grand prix podium in his debut season but only if McLaren get their car right, Australian Grand Prix chief executive Andrew Westacott says.
Piastri has replaced compatriot Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren for 2023, and is preparing for his first Formula 1 race in Bahrain next month.
Oscar Piastri has what it takes to climb to the top of the podium in Formula 1, Australian Grand Prix chief executive Andrew Westacott says. Credit:Getty Images
The 21-year-old has notched up two championship seasons as a Formula 3 and Formula 2 driver. Only two other drivers on the grid have achieved the same feat – last year’s Australian Grand Prix winner Charles Leclerc and George Russell, who placed third.
Piastri, Westacott said, has “the hallmarks and makings of being a great driver”. But the question is whether McLaren will be able to adjust its car to improve on efforts from last season.
“It will all depend on how competitive the McLaren car is,” Westacott said.
“They’ve got to do some improving to make sure that they’re competing for podiums, but I know the owners of the team made the changes that they did to be competing for the podiums.
“Let’s hope, fingers crossed that Oscar reaches his potential.
McLaren finished fifth and sixth at last year’s Australian Grand Prix.
“He’ll come here in great shape,” Westacott said of Piastri.
“It will all depend on how competitive the McLaren car is. It’s about getting the car right and at the moment, every team’s got hope written across the front of their cars.
Australian Grand Prix CEO Andrew Westacott at Albert Park on Tuesday.Credit:Getty Images
“McLaren has a driver who is capable of taking them to the top steps to the podium. And if they get the package right, then the combination of Oscar Piastri and [teammate] Lando Norris is going to be a very strong one for many years to come.”
By the time he gets to Melbourne, Piastri will have raced in Saudi Arabia as well as the opener in Bahrain.
“He’s not a debutant when he hits Albert Park for the first time; he’s got two races under his belt,” Westacott said.
Naturally, comparisons will be made between Piastri and Ricciardo, who has returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver.
“I thought Daniel Ricciardo was going to exceed Mark Webber’s tally of nine GP wins, and he’s at the moment at eight. Let’s let Oscar get into the season,” Westacott said, adding “time is going to tell” whether Piastri will be more successful.
Westacott and Assistance Dogs Australia CEO Dr Matthew Miles at their charity partner announcement on Tuesday.Credit:Getty Images
One difference between the Australians could be that Piastri will keep a lower profile, Westacott suggested, tipping his manager Webber will also tame the crowds.
“He’ll stay a bit behind the scenes,” he said. “We don’t need to get our pound of flesh from a media point of view out of Oscar. We want to leave him. We want to leave him to do the action on the track.”
Several changes could make this year’s competition at Albert Park the fastest ever, including an additional zone allowing drivers to use a drag reduction system only allowed to be activated in three other areas on the track. Modifications to the cars could also improve race times.
“We do expect that this is going to be the fastest Formula 1 [in Australia] ever,” Westacott said.
“To put that in perspective, the 5.3 kilometres around this track are doing a poll position time in about a minute 17 [seconds], and a lap time in about a minute and 20 [seconds]. We expect those times that were achieved in 2022 [to be faster] with the DRS zone this year.”
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