'Piastri will be the greatest driver of the next decade'

F1 News

Flavio Briatore on Oscar Piastri and Mark Webber
16 August at 07:00
7
  • Ben Stevens
  • Editor

Oscar Piastri has the potential to be the next world champion, according to Alpine's special advisor Flavio Briatore. The former Benetton boss managed Piastri's manager Mark Webber during his racing days and believes he could be one of the greatest drivers in recent years. 

'Next world champion?'

Speaking on Eddie Jordan and David Coulthard's Formula For Success podcast, Flavio Briatore believes that Piastri has the potential to become a world champion after the Australian took his first win in Hungary with McLaren. Briatore was the manager of Piastri's own manager Mark Webber for 15 years, with Briatore also full of praise for the former Red Bull driver. "Honestly, the guy who impressed me the most in Formula One was Mark Webber, who was with me for 15 years. He is one of the best people I have met in Formula One. he was always loyal, he's sincere, he's a friend, he's respectful". 

Briatore, with a laugh, took credit for Piastri's rapid rise after Jordan asked him "Do you think [Webber] learned a lot by being managed by you?" Briatore replied with "Well the fact that Piastri looks like world champion material then yes." 

Briatore firmly believes that if not next year, it won't be long until the 23-year-old is crowned a world champion. "If he's not [world champion] next year, then 2027, he will be there. If McLaren still have this car, Piastri, I believe, is one of the best drivers." Jordan echoed Briatore, saying "I said about three races ago, before he did win that race, I said that he's going to emerge as one of the greatest drivers of the next decade."  

Piastri currently sits fourth in the drivers standings, 110 points of leader Max Verstappen, but only 32 behind his teammate Lando Norris in second. Piastri has already scored four podiums this season, including his maiden win at the Hungaroring last month.