Formula One icon Guenther Steiner believes Australian star Oscar Piastri can take out not only next month’s Melbourne Grand Prix but the entire world championship.
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Piastri won two grands prix – in Hungary and Azerbaijan – and finished fourth in the drivers’ standings, helping McLaren clinch the constructor’s championship last year.
Since joining the grid in 2023, Piastri has quickly become one of the most respected drivers in F1.
Piastri’s immediate sights are set on success in his home GP, as the Melbourne-born and bred youngster aims to become the first Aussie to win the Melbourne GP in 45 years.
And Steiner believes he is primed to do just that, with the right car and experience under his belt heading into 2025.
“I think he has the right car now and I think this is his year,” he told the Herald Sun.
“Coming in as a rookie he overdelivered for a rookie in 2023 and in ’24 he followed up with some improvement.
“And this year, now he’s ready to go for it.”
The respected F1 pundit even went as far as to say Piastri, who turns 24 in April, is a good chance to become a world champion either this year or in the seasons to come.
“I think he’s very good and for sure learned a lot last year,” he said.
“One of the things to look forward to for sure this year is McLaren because I think talent-wise, Lando and Oscar are very close.
“I think they are the same. They have got the same speed … I think as the season goes they will want one of their guys to go for the driver’s championship.
“Obviously the pressure now comes onto Oscar because he shows he can do it. Now he needs to want it a little bit more because he wants to win a world championship now.”
If he manages to win the world championship, Piastri would become just the third Australian, after Alan Jones and Sir Jack Brabham to do so.
The Australian claimed two Grand Prix victories last season.
And Piastri says those successes have filled him with confidence that he has what it takes to end the season No.1.
“I have been working hard in the off-season to ensure I am ready for the season ahead. The margins at the top are likely to be incredibly tight but I’m excited by the room for growth after two seasons in the sport,” Piastri told Code Sports last week.
“Winning Grand Prix early in my career has given me the taste for success and I want much more.
“As a team, we can take great momentum into 2025 after such a brilliant year in 2024. A big thank you to everyone back at base and trackside for all the hard work that’s been done so far.”
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