WEBBER: PIASTRI IS OUR BEST F1 PROSPECT SINCE RICCIARDO

Mark Webber – Oscar Piastri is our best F1 prospect since Daniel Ricciardo

Former F1 star Mark Webber likens his young charger’s thinking approach and smooth, unspectacular driving to all-time great Alain “The Professor” Prost.

By MARK FOGARTY

“He’s a mini-Prost, really,” Webber declared. “He just slides under the radar and keeps winning the sheep stations. It’s a good ability to have.”

He cautiously agrees that Oscar Piastri is our best F1 prospect since Daniel Ricciardo.

“Well, the form card says yes,” Webber said.

However, he won’t be trying to rush Piastri into an F1 junior role, targeting success in F2 next year as the priority.

“Friday (F1) sessions or testing, none of that’s happening next year at all – but it’s just nice to have the Superlicence tucked away at this stage for the next few years,” he said. “Focus on F2 and then we’ll see. It’s up to Renault.

“They have some other guys in their stable, but we have a very good relationship with them and Oscar has good momentum going.”

Webber did allow that Piastri’s Renault F1 junior driver status offers a tantalising future opportunity.

“It will be a big, big day when that happens, massive, if they want him to have an F1 test, but we’ll have to wait and see when they’ll want to put that in front of him,” he said.

Piastri is likely to be rewarded for his F3 title success with a drive in a pre- 2018 Renault F1 car later this year.

“That’s something that was spoken about,” Webber said.

Pick up your copy of Auto Action (1795) for a more in-depth chat with both Mark Webber and Oscar Piastri about the young stars plans for the future.

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