Ex-Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has tossed a bold prediction into the mix: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri could be hoisting the Drivers’ Championship trophy in 2025 – if he “starts off good on the right foot”.
The Aussie phenom’s entry into the sport has been nothing short of spectacular.
A sprint race win in Qatar during his rookie year with Mclaren was followed by two proper wins in 2024 in Hungary and Baku that validated his highly-rated talent and helped propel Team Papaya to its first Constructors’ title since 1998.
Steiner now sees a golden opportunity for the 23-year-old to dethrone F1’s elite, provided he hits the ground running.
“He can be [world champion],” commented Steiner in an interview with CNN.
“As I said, you always need to be in the right car. But in the moment, he could be already this year. I said it before. This year, if he starts off good on the right foot.”
A Mentor’s Edge: Mark Webber’s Influence
Steiner’s confidence isn’t unfounded. He pointed to Piastri’s experienced manager, former Red Bull driver and Grand Prix winner Mark Webber, as a key factor.
I always say, Oscar, I don’t know him personally very well. I know [him] from saying hello, but I know Mark Webber, who coaches him.”
He’s effusive about Webber’s role: “That is very important because Mark can teach Oscar his mistakes he shouldn’t be making because Mark made them himself.
“So, it’s the best teacher to have and say, ‘Hey, let’s take a shortcut here. Don’t do this because I did it. They got it wrong.’”
Webber’s grizzled wisdom, distilled from a dozen F1 seasons, has been paying dividends. Piastri’s 2024 campaign showcased a driver shedding rookie flaws, and Steiner believes this mentorship could catapult him to the top – if he masters the early races.
‘I Can Become World Champion This Year’
Piastri himself echoed Steiner’s optimism, albeit with a measured approach. Speaking after a filming day at Silverstone, he was clear about his ambitions.
“It’s definitely a clean slate [this year],” he stated. “Everyone is starting on zero again, and I think last season towards the end it was natural that I still had the opportunities to go out and put my best foot forward.
“Yes there were a couple of situations where I ended up helping Lando, but there were some ways he still helped me out so it wasn’t as clear-cut as that.
“Definitely we are starting on a clean slate and I do think that I can become World Champion this year.
“I feel like 12 months ago I was going into the season still with some weaknesses that I wasn’t particularly confident with,” he added, reflecting on his growth.
“I think through last season I addressed them, it’s now just about addressing them every weekend and making sure that I’m putting my best foot forward every weekend and that is what is going to be the difference.”
With McLaren fine-tuning its package, Piastri’s self-assurance is palpable.
“I’m confident, I think we’ve still got some things to work on and [we’re] definitely not the finished product, but I don’t think anyone necessarily is.”
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