The trait proving Piastri is different gravy

In just his third year, Oscar Piastri continues to show why he is favoured to make history with his Dutch Grand Prix victory the latest prime example.

Piastri produced his first Grand Slam in his ninth career win at Zandvoort to tighten his grip on the lead of the F1 World Championship as he aims to break a 45-year Aussie drought.

The achievement of leading every lap from pole whilst setting the fastest lap is big in itself, but what was more impressive was the how.

The Dutch Grand Prix was a very difficult race to be so dominant, with both Lando Norris and Max Verstappen pressurising the Australian at different points, whilst the youngster also had to negate three Safety Car restarts.

It was a serious statement considering all the momentum was with Norris as late as the start of Q3.

The Brit had won three of the previous four races and was high on confidence at a happy hunting ground in Zandvoort, where he dominated last year and finished 22s ahead of Piastri.

Norris looked set for back-to-back glories as he swept practice, but when it mattered, the Australian rose to the occasion again.

Just like Shanghai and Barcelona, tracks where Piastri also struggled compared to the more experienced Norris last year, the Aussie meticulously studied the data behind the scenes and worked on his weaknesses to steal pole and control the race.

His relentless pursuit of perfection and improvement amid complete calmness and consistency are becoming such a common theme that experts are already finding a label for the way the Brighton Boy goes about his work.

McLaren leaders simply described this performance as another “Oscar-like weekend” which outlines Piastri’s growing reputation.

The 24-year-old admitted his gradual improvement throughout the weekend to secure timely wins was the element he was most proud of at Zandvoort.

“It’s happened a few times this year where it started a bit slow and then gotten better as the weekend’s gone on,” Piastri said. 

“The difference from this year to last year is last year, those weekends that started slow, the middle was slow, and the end was slow. 

“I think it’s just been good to actually find the time as the weekend’s gone on. Is it an ideal way? Am I doing it on purpose? Not always. 

“I’m trying to build up to things, of course, but was hoping to build up a bit quicker than I did this weekend. 

“I got there just in the end in Q3, but I didn’t go into qualifying the most optimistic. 

“So maybe a little bit slow to get there, but I felt very happy with where I was going into qualifying, not expecting the world, just trying to do my best and see what happened and in the end that was enough, and a similar thing today. 

“Very happy from that side of things, and I think that part is probably the ‘Oscar-like weekend’.”

Not only did Piastri beat Norris on the track, but the Brit’s race ended in heartbreak with an oil leak.

The unlucky DNF to Norris has pushed the title fight significantly in Piastri’s favour.

But the Australian knows anything can happen over the final nine races.

“There’s still a long way to go,” Piastri said. 

“I need to keep pushing and trying to win races still. I wouldn’t say it’s a very comfortable margin. 

“As we saw today, it can change with one DNF very, very quickly. 

“So this far out from the end of the year, it’s not a comfortable gap.”

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

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