WEBBER: NATIONAL PRESSURE WON’T FAZE PIASTRI

Former Formula 1 ace Mark Webber is confident that our next F1 star Oscar Piastri won’t feel the weight of Australian public expectation when he earns a full-time seat.

Piastri will spend this year as Alpine’s reserve driver in the hopes of an F1 berth next year, after winning consecutive titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2.

With the glamour of racing in the top tier of international motorsport comes public attention and expectation, especially in a nation such as Australia where such a strong emphasis is placed on sporting achievement.

Webber had the hopes of the nation resting on him throughout his 12-year career, Daniel Ricciardo joining him as a countryman on the F1 grid for only the last few years of his career.

Speaking on how he thought Piastri would handle life in the spotlight as an F1 driver, nine-time grand prix victor Webber said the young Victorian had all the tools required to navigate it successfully.

“Oscar is his own individual, you could call him a sophisticated Australian,” Webber told AUTO ACTION.

“He’s very polished, very organised, very economical with his words, very economical with his trophy cabinet. He means business.”

Webber does not believe Piastri will be phased, regardless of whether he has the advantage of sharing the grid with fellow Aussie Ricciardo, who would take a share of the publicity burden.

“I think whether he’s on his own or there’s another driver on the grid, it won’t really affect Oscar,” Webber says.

“The public will gravitate to the individuals as they come, Daniel (Ricciardo) was different to me who was different to Casey Stoner and then you have Pat Rafter, Ash Barty.

“When you compete internationally, with the Australian public we arrive here for two weeks, compete and then we leave.

“Of course, with their enthusiasm they follow those individuals as they like.”

Piastri was today awarded the Sir Jack Brabham Award for the second straight year, becoming the first driver to manage successive awards.

The 20-year-old will return to Europe tomorrow ahead of his new role at Alpine, having spent the last month at home with his family.

Piastri will fly home for the Australian Grand Prix, scheduled from April 8-10 at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne.

The 2022 F1 season is set to kick off in Bahrain from March 18-20.

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