“I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year,” said an enraged Oscar Piastri when he woke up in Australia to learn that Alpine had ‘declared’ him their driver. He turned his back on the team, which had kept him as a backup plan to choose McLaren. While the year began at an all-time low, Piastri’s gamble paid off and the veteran team lived up to its name with a massive turnaround. Considering that momentum, the Australian in his sophomore year is now a legitimate threat to others.

Zak Brown led McLaren, accepted their fault, and went from being backmarkers to Piastri winning a Sprint race and teammate Lando Norris leading at his home Grand Prix. While the leapfrog they pulled was so brilliant that they defeated Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin miracle, they still fell short of legit F1 Grand Prix wins. But that is bound to change this year.

Talking to Fox Sports Australia and explaining how he reacted as a commentator when Piastri took his first win, David Croft dearly known as Crofty stated, ” I am absolutely certain that Oscar Piastri will win multiple Grands Prix in his career. He is something special and Australian F1 fans are gonna be cheering him on to multiple victories in the years to come .”

And the whole paddock and fans will agree. Why do I say this? It is because a fellow racer also acknowledged Piastri’s greatness very recently.

Carlos Sainz sees Oscar Piastri as a threat

The 2022 regulations are now a couple of years old and the field is expected to bunch up together. That being said, it is not just the car, right? Carlos Sainz, who became the ONLY non-Red Bull GP winner in 2023, has named drivers he sees as a threat as aims to replicate 2023’s glory.

Talking about his feelings going into the 2024 campaign, he said, “I know that Red Bull is the team to beat and behind us will be the ones who will try to be the first to get close. I hope it’s us, but I’ve seen a very strong Fernando with the Aston, Piastri is already getting closer… It’s clearly not going to be easy.”

READ MORE: Toto Wolff Breaks Silence After Being Accused of Leaking Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari News Against Fred Vasseur’s Plans

This kind of acknowledgment from a fellow racer who is competing for the same prize as you is one of the highest forms of appreciation. Do you think Oscar will win races this year?