Oscar Piastri lauded as former F1 driver declared the ‘floodgates have opened’ on his title charge

The ‘floodgates have opened’ on Oscar Piastri’s F1 championship charge according to one former driver – with the Australian compared to one great of the sport.

An “insanely calm” Oscar Piastri has been hailed as having one of the coolest heads Formula 1 ever seen as one former driver declared the “floodgates have opened” for the Australian star in his title quest.

After taking his fifth grand prix win from the opening nine rounds this season in the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his lead in the world championship, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer said he could not have predicted the “step up” the McLaren star would make to become the championship favourite.

Palmer said Piastri had turned his on-track weaknesses into his strengths this year, which had been headlined by his “standout improvement” in qualifying.

The former Renault driver-turned-commentator said no other driver had made a bigger step over one lap this year and Piastri’s maiden pole position in China had opened the “floodgates” after a qualifying “whitewash” from his teammate Lando Norris last season.

“Last year, Oscar’s racecraft set him out from his rivals and gave him wins that he had to work for,” Palmer wrote in his column on formula1.com.

Oscar Piastri has won five races already this year. Picture: Getty

“After all, he only scored his first ever pole position in China this year, so he had to come from behind to seal his wins last season.

“There was no doubting Oscar’s racecraft, but to mount a title challenge he’d need to improve his fundamental pace in both qualifying and the race.

“Qualifying pace has been the biggest standout improvement from him this year. In fact if you look at the whole field, no driver has made a bigger step over one lap.

“He’s gone from ending last season 20-4 down to teammate Lando in a relative qualifying whitewash last year, to leading the duo’s head-to-head form this campaign, having taken his fourth pole in Barcelona on Saturday, compared to Norris’ two.

“It’s fair to say the floodgates have opened after his China success.”

Oscar Piastri (C) has been anointed the new Iceman on the F1 circuit. Picture: Getty

Piastri’s victory in Barcelona extended his lead in the championship to 10 points over Norris and also equalled the record for the most wins by an Australian driver in a single F1 season

The Melbourne-born racer’s cool demeanour on track continues to earn plaudits as he mounts his championship charge.

Palmer said Piastri rarely made “pressure mistakes” and described him as possibly the calmest head he had ever seen in F1.

“Oscar also seems to have the calmest head, certainly that I can remember, in Formula 1,” Palmer wrote.

“It’s still early stages in his career and we haven’t yet seen him under title-deciding pressures – that’ll come later this year – but the man is insanely calm with whatever is going on around him.

Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen was known as the Iceman. Picture: Getty

“Kimi Raikkonen was known as the Iceman in Formula 1, but I’ve even seen him more animated than Oscar.

“This can only be strength to be able to stay so composed – I’ve yet to see him make pressure mistakes and you can’t imagine him squandering points due to red mist, as Max Verstappen did on Sunday.”

While there are still 15 rounds remaining in the F1 season, Palmer had no doubt Piastri had the “makeup of a champion”.

“He’s not been perfect this season. In Melbourne he was unlucky to lose a heap of points going off in the rain, but he was napping for the Imola start when he got passed by Verstappen, and was a bit scrappy in Monaco too,” Palmer wrote.

“There have been enough chances for Lando to stay in the hunt, and the title battle remains close, with Oscar just 10 points to the good.

“But from what I’ve seen so far, Oscar absolutely has the makeup of a champion, in a season where he’s turned his weaknesses into strengths.”

Originally published as Oscar Piastri lauded as former F1 driver declared the ‘floodgates have opened’ on his title charge