Yesterday at 06:30
Alain Prost has revealed the vital role he played in steering world
title hopeful Oscar Piastri to F1. The four-time F1 champion could
see traits of his own driving style in Piastri during the
Australian's early junior career, notably finishing second in the
British F4 championship in 2017. After winning the Formula Renault
Eurocup two years later, in early 2020, Piastri was then signed to
the Renault Sporting Academy, which went on to become the Alpine
Academy the following year. A contract dispute between Alpine and
Piastri followed ahead of the F3 and F2 champion being given his
chance in F1 by McLaren in 2023. Speaking to former F1 driver and
Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok at the Goodwood Festival of
Speed at the weekend, Prost said: "I know Oscar much better [than
McLaren team-mate Lando Norris] because I was the one to push
Renault to bring him into the academy a long time ago. They did not
want to. "I saw him driving in Formula 3, or even 4, and then
Formula 2." As to what he sees in Piastri that reminds him of
himself, Prost added: "I like the way he behaves, a little bit like
me, thinking about when to do the right manoeuvre for overtaking
and being a little bit more clever. "I like him, you know. You
never know what's going to happen, but this type of driver,
normally they can make a progression. With some, if it's only the
driving skill, sometimes they are at a plateau." Prost conceded to
not knowing Norris "very much", although refused to be drawn on his
tip for the championship, simply stating that "the best should win,
and that's it". McLaren will not have a problem Prost is, however,
delighted to see two McLaren drivers going head to head for the
title, just as he and Ayrton Senna infamously did for two years in
1988 and 1989. Despite what unfolded between him and Senna, Prost
still has good memories of his time with the team "It's my family,
because I started with McLaren," he said. "I had an unbelievable
time at McLaren, even if I finished with a difficult '89, but
remember that I came back for two years, '95, '96, in a different
role. So I'm always very close to this team." Although there have
been legendary team-mate rivalries in F1 in the past, aside from
Prost and Senna, such as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg most
recently at Mercedes, the Frenchman feels McLaren has a handle on
Piastri and Norris. "The championship is very difficult when two
drivers are fighting for the title," he said. "But if they have
enough advantage over the other teams and drivers, they are going
to let them drive and fight, which is the best for the sport. "If
it's getting closer and one driver or team is much closer, then
it's going to become more difficult. At the moment, I don't think
they [McLaren] will have this problem."
