“We’ve got a future world champion on our hands,” Zak Brown makes an audacious assessment despite Oscar Piastri’s early run in 2023

Oscar Piastri was brought in by McLaren to replace Daniel Ricciardo. Despite his underwhelming results thus far, Zak Brown sees him as a future world champion.

“We’ve got a future world champion on our hands,” Zak Brown makes an audacious assessment despite Oscar Piastri’s early run in 2023

Oscar Piastri ( Image via Autoweek) and Zak Brown (Image via GP Blog)

In a resounding vote of confidence, McLaren team boss Zak Brown has firmly declared that their rookie driver Oscar Piastri is destined to become a future world champion. This comes after his subdued performances in the early stages of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Brown said, “We’re very impressed with him. He’s very focused. He’s not really made any big mistakes.” He highlighted Piastri’s ability to push the limits while keeping errors to a minimum. Though it is too early to say, the signs indicate a promising talent destined for greatness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1ysn_mKj_0

FS Video

Despite setbacks like electrical malfunction in Bahrain and a brake-by-wire failure in Miami, Piastri has remained steadfast. Oscar scored his first points in Melbourne and finished a decent tenth in Baku Sprint, while suffering a stomach bug. Overall, the Australian’s debut has been satisfactory.

The CEO of McLaren expressed his confidence in Piastri’s future, stating, “Early indications are we’ve got a future world champion on our hands. We just have to work to give him a faster car now.” Zak Brown‘s words reflect the team’s belief in Piastri’s abilities and their determination to provide him with the tools to succeed.

Discover: Not Lando Norris, Zak Brown pegs McLaren debutant Oscar Piastri as the ‘future World Champion’

Piastri is in the good books of everyone at McLaren

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (Credits: Sky Sports)

Piastri’s teammate, Lando Norris, acknowledges the intense competition brought by Piastri, noting, “[He’s] been pushing me a little bit more than the past couple of years.” Oscar has out qualified Norris in only the second race in Jeddah, where Norris made a mistake.

McLaren’s new team principal Andrea Stella, has also praised Piastri, commending his technical prowess and maturity. Stella’s appreciation for Piastri’s abilities emphasizes the respect he holds within the team. Piastri’s rise to Formula One glory has been spectacular. Oscar Piastri has won the Formula Renault Eurocup, FIA F3, and F2 championships consecutively. McLaren chose to part ways with Daniel Ricciardo to rope in fellow Australian Piastri.

Zak Brown further emphasizes the strength of the driver pairing. He stated, “The combination of Lando and Oscar, I couldn’t think of a better combination of drivers… Oscar has done a fantastic job, and he’s trading lap times with Lando now, and that’s what you want.” Brown’s words highlight Piastri’s ability to match lap times with Norris, underscoring his exceptional talent and his capability to hold his ground against a highly regarded teammate.

As the season progresses, McLaren remains fully committed to providing Piastri with a faster, more competitive car. The Woking team are currently fifth in the standings and are in a duel with Alpine for it. The team have announced a massive changeover of their concept after their failed design approach. It remains to be seen if the upgrades favour them.

In case you missed it: