Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko dumped a heap of praise on McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, though he offered nothing on his teammate, Lando Norris.
Piastri leads the Drivers’ Championship heading into the summer break, nine points ahead of Norris for the title, which Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has held for the past four years.
The Australian got his chance in F1 with McLaren back in 2023 after being the winner of Formula Regional, Formula 3, and Formula 2 consecutively.
His first two seasons showed flashes of brilliance, though he ultimately lost out to Norris in terms of qualifying and race pace, but he was right on his heels for the most part.
This season, though, Piastri has won six of the first 14 races, and with being the leader in the title race, Marko believes that he has the edge.
“Piastri has the nerve, is more consistent, and always gets the best out of himself. I’ve never seen him so emotionally charged,” he told F1-Insider.
“Norris may be faster per lap, but overall I see Piastri ahead.”
During his rise up the formula racing ladder, he became a part of the Alpine junior program, even serving as a reserve driver with eyes on getting a full-time seat.
McLaren saw the chance to nab Piastri after then-driver Daniel Ricciardo struggled to match Norris’ pace.
Piastri’s deal with Alpine contained loose contract language that allowed him to leave if he was not given a seat, and McLaren CEO Zak Brown took the opportunity.
There was a lot of controversy regarding the Aussie’s move, many feeling that he was only going to get a chance with McLaren, and that he would not get another opportunity with another team after burning Alpine.
“Piastri has had an incredible career and is improving year after year,” Marko added.
“He had some major fluctuations last year, depending on the track. That’s no longer the case.
“But Verstappen is Verstappen. He [Piastri] still has a long way to go.
“The potential to become a truly great driver is there, though.”
Marko’s comment excluded any praise for Norris, a driver who is established on the grid as one of the quickest over one lap.
He has been a consistent performer for McLaren through rough stretches, though his mentality and approach towards fighting for the title have garnered scrutiny.
Red Bull’s former team boss, Christian Horner, was a known fan of Norris, reportedly pursuing him as a teammate for Verstappen, though he stayed loyal to McLaren.
The new Red Bull leadership appears enamoured with Piastri more than Norris now, marking an interesting turn if Verstappen leaves Red Bull.
While many expected Red Bull to court Norris, Piastri could become a target for the team.
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