The newest kid on the block has knocked the ball out of the park. We are, of course, talking about Oscar Piastri, especially after his recent performances. The Australian joined the circus with a lot of drama and controversy. There were many wishing ill for him, including his former TP Otmar Szafnauer, as his path to McLaren required him to burn some bridges. Although despite Szafnauer’s evil intentions, Piastri has exceeded expectations. However, the expectations will soon become a norm as Piastri’s charge to beat Lando Norris will intensify.

The rookie definitely delivered on his hype, which made him a hot property for all teams. So when Szafnauer said, “I am happy for my drivers when they do well, he is a rival and I am not happy when he finishes fourth,” you know there is a sour taste in Alpine’s mouth for losing him. Discussing the same on The Race podcast, Valentin Khorounzhiy heaped praise on Piastri but did not discount his teammate.

Khorounzhiy said, “Honestly it’s blown them out of the water. It’s much much better than I expected. He’s been much much closer to Lando Norris than I expected from very early on. Which is not to say he’s surpassing Norris or matching Norris necessarily. But he has just avoided a scenario that I felt was entirely plausible which is of Norris reliably putting three of four-tenths over him in any given qualifying session because Lando Norris is just that good.”      

So despite his former boss’s ill intentions, Piastri will need to up his game. Although Piastri might not be on the same level as Norris at the moment, for a 12-race old driver, the youngster is already proving his mettle.

Read More: Innocent Game Turns Into Fierce Competition as Oscar Piastri Picks Sworn Rival in Battle Against Lando Norris’ “Best Friend”

There is a long way to go for Piastri, and a championship is definitely an attainable target. This competition from Piastri, according to an expert, will be beneficial for Norris as well.

Oscar Piastri’s threat will prove beneficial for Lando Norris over the course of the season

There is no doubt Norris is the undisputed no. 1 driver at McLaren at the moment. The Brit has been with the team for longer and has definitely got the better of Piastri in all aspects up until now. However, that does not mean Piastri can be taken lightly.

In fact, the last three races have showcased that Piastri is absolutely rapid and can pose a serious threat to Norris. Although this sense of completion will make Norris better, according to Naomi Schiff.

She said, “I do think it is a positive for him to have a teammate in the garage next to him that’s quick. As much as he might not like it, it’ll be good for him. It’ll be pushing him to pay more attention to detail. And ultimately when you’ve got a driver next to you that’s pushing you, you become a better driver yourself.”

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We have often seen this scenario of teammates pushing each other to do better throughout the history of this sport. Perhaps Norris will experience the same now. If history is proof, Norris should come out on top, but we never know.