After Equaling Leclerc & Russell’s Record Feat, Here’s Why Oscar Piastri Deserves an F1 Seat

A new name has been buzzing around Formula 1 – Oscar Piastri. Driving in the Prema outfit, Piastri grabbed everybody’s attention as he bagged his third consecutive pole in Sochi on Friday. The young Australian driver has shown roaring success in the series, leaving everyone wondering: why isn’t he in F1?

An Alpine driver academy product is currently leading the F2 championship by 15 points. A stunning debut season at F2 so far, the absence of his name in F1 discussions seems worrying.

F1 journalist Will Buxton is of a similar opinion, and took to Twitter to voice his frustrations.

“Any other year this guy is being fought over by the F1 teams. A junior CV to rival Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Verstappen… any of them. He’s too good to not be in F1. And yet he won’t be.”

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Piastri has now become a part of a very elite group of F2 achievements. Accompanying Leclerc, Russell, and Albon, he is the only other driver to score three consecutive pole positions in the series. Additionally, all his forerunners are drivers for prestigious F1 teams.

While this is only his first season in F2, his future in the big league is far from being unfulfilled.

Making a case for Oscar Piastri

If you haven’t heard of him already, Oscar Piastri is a rising star. The Melbourne native got into karting in 2011, competitively in 2014. Piastri started with an average career in racing. A couple of podiums and top 10 finishes didn’t catch anyone’s attention. However, in 2019, Piastri broke out of his shell.

After an intense Formula Renault season in 2019, Piastri bagged the title with 7.5 points to spare; this put him in the spotlight. The Renault Sport Academy signed the young driver for their program for the 2020 season. From there, Piastri was unstoppable. A formidable F3 championship saw the driver take the title by three points.

Now a Formula 2 driver, Piastri seems to continue with the consistency of his other junior leagues. However, is this enough for a Formula 1 seat.

Now, Alpine is often known for not promoting their junior drivers to the big league. However, if they were to do so, Christian Lundgaard is likely to be the first choice. Following the 2022 season, if Fernando Alonso takes his leave from the sport, Lundgaard’s extensive F2 experience would infringe Piastri.

Nonetheless, this wouldn’t nullify Piastri’s F1 chances. The proficient driver is sure to take the grid by storm if given the chance. Likely to start off as a reserve driver for Alpine or even a far-fetched possibility of a seat at Haas; Although in the distant future, Piastri’s name on an F1 chassis is inevitable.

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