Ex-F1 champion applauds ‘killer’ Oscar Piastri’s team game for Lando Norris in 2024
Mario Andretti pinpointed Oscar Piastri's efforts as a team player for McLaren to bolster Lando Norris' title bid last season.
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Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris (via IMAGO)
Oscar Piastri has raced for McLaren alongside Lando Norris since 2023. The Australian driver has matched the Briton on many occasions, though he was willing to help out his teammate. Now, racing legend Mario Andretti has praised the 23-year-old’s efforts.
Andretti was asked if Oscar Piastri had the much sought-after ‘killer instinct’ as an F1 driver. The 84-year-old agreed that the Australian driver did possess this quality. Though, in 2024, Piastri was often required to follow team orders to help Norris’ title bid against Max Verstappen.
Yes, in my opinion, he [Oscar Piastri] has that [killer instinct] quality.
Mario Andretti told RacingNews365
Mario Andretti complimented the 23-year-old’s campaign. The American icon emphasized that Piastri proved himself as a vital team player for McLaren when needed. Andretti recalled the Brazilian GP Sprint race where he allowed Lando Norris to take the victory, and dropped himself to second place.
I really liked what Oscar demonstrated [in 2024], and also the fact that he is a team player, you could see that in Brazil [when he let Norris past in the sprint race].
Mario Andretti added
McLaren’s resurgence ‘good for F1’
McLaren finally put an end to its title drought in 2024 after claiming the Constructors’ title. Mario Andretti pointed out that Norris and Piastri will be in a good position for both championships this year as well. The 84-year-old reckoned that this rise of the team was ideal for the sport. As fans can see one of the most successful teams in history fighting for the title once again.
The team is in a good place to fight for championships now and in the future, and this bodes well for F1 itself.
Mario Andretti stated
Oscar Piastri would be aiming to outperform Lando Norris in the upcoming season. The Australian driver does not want to stick being the de-facto number 2 at the Woking-based squad. However, this could prove to be a challenge for the Australian if Norris manages to have an upper hand at the start of the year.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2399 Articles Published)