“I enjoy being able to drive the fastest cars in the world,” says Oscar Piastri, with the same quiet, thoughtful tone he applies to every other subject. “Getting to work with the best engineers in the world, best mechanics in the world, best designers, that’s a very cool position.”

The softness of his voice when he mentions “the fastest cars in the world” doesn’t even hint at how the 22-year-old is required to take corners such as the famous Eau Rouge in Belgium at more than 300km/h, or to come within centimetres of concrete walls and other cars while experiencing such extreme G forces his vision is distorted.