Former F1 crew supervisor blasts Oscar Piastri for ‘probably the most astonishing selections ever’ when Aussie selected McLaren over Alpine – however says he might STILL develop into world champion
Former Components 1 crew supervisor Peter Windsor has described Oscar Piastri’s transfer to McLaren as one of many ‘most astonishing selections’ within the historical past of the game, however insisted the Australian has all it takes to win a world title.
The 21-year-old has replaced Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren after spending final season because the reserve driver for Alpine and was embroiled in a well-publicised authorized battle with the French crew.
Alpine introduced the Australian had been promoted from reserve driver to accomplice Esteban Ocon and exchange the Aston Martin-bound Fernando Alonso.
Piastri steadfastly rejected any agreement had been reached, leaving the French crew with a seat to fill for 2023, which finally went to Pierre Gasly.
Following the embarrassing PR personal objective, Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer accused Piastri of ‘lacking integrity’ and the quarrel needed to be finally settled by the FIA’s Contract Evaluate Board.
Components 1 analyst Peter Windsor has questioned Oscar Piastri’s determination to affix McLaren
The younger Australian moved to McLaren on the finish of final season to exchange Daniel Ricciardo
However the performances within the first two races of the season have left Windsor questioning whether or not Piastri could remorse his selection.
The Australian retired in his debut in Bahrain and completed fifteenth in Saudi Arabia, with teammate Lando Norris crossing the road in seventeenth in each races.
The 2 McLaren drivers are rooted to the underside of the drivers’ standings because the championship heads to Melbourne this weekend for Piastri’s first-ever Australian Grand Prix.
In the meantime, Gasly has completed ninth in each of his first two begins with Alpine, with Ocon retiring in Bahrain earlier than ending eighth in Saudi Arabia.
‘You have to say Alpine is just not doing a nasty job, Mr Piastri,’ Windsor, a revered Components 1 analyst, instructed his Twitch channel.
‘The numerous level is that he really mentioned no to Alpine and sure to McLaren and that is probably the most astonishing selections ever taken by a younger driver who’d by no means began a grand prix that I’ve ever heard of or seen in my life.
‘[I] nonetheless have not acquired over it really, that he might try this.’
A world champion in Formula 2 and Formula 3 in 2020 and 2021, Piastri has lengthy been thought of one in every of Components 1’s rising stars.
Earlier this week, Formula 1 great Alan Jones backed his compatriot to become a world champion and believes the younger rookie has already proven in his expertise in a struggling McLaren.
And Windsor acknowledged Piastri’s determination to maneuver to McLaren might nonetheless reward his expertise within the close to future, however insisted his acrimonious transfer to the Woking crew was but to be vindicated.
Alpine crew principal Otmar Szafnauer questioned the Piastri’s integrity final yr
The younger Australian has struggled in his debut season with McLaren beset by points
In his first season with Alpine Pierre Gasly has completed ninth in each races thus far, with teammate Esteban Ocon claiming eight place in Saudi Arabia
‘After all McLaren will get higher and, who is aware of, 4 years down the street Piastri could be world champion in a McLaren.
‘That might effectively occur. He is acquired the expertise, he is acquired the tempo – little question about that.
‘The proof is that he might have raced the Alpine, so he made a fallacious determination on the idea that Alpine did not need him. That was the fallacious factor.
‘Whether or not he is made the best determination to go to McLaren, as I say, 4 years down the street will inform us, however proper now you’d need to say Alpine is just not a bad-looking crew.’
