Formula 1 news 2024: David Croft on Oscar Piastri championship hopes, McLaren team dilemma

Formula 1 expert David Croft believes Oscar Piastri is a world champion in waiting, yet this will not be his year. But if 2025 is to be the year for the Aussie, McLaren have some tough calls to make.

Formula 1 expert David Croft has declared Australian star Oscar Piastri a world-champion in the making, but predicted it was too late in the campaign for the McLaren young gun to mount a miracle charge for the world drivers’ crown this year.

But the voice of Formula 1 said Piastri would not have to wait long to chase his world title dream, saying the “exceptional talent” would be one of the drivers to beat in 2025.

As he backed Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris to reel in Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen this year, Croft said the papaya squad would need to make some “tough calls” on team orders to give itself the best chance of winning both the constructors’ and drivers’ championships.

Speaking the day after Piastri’s latest triumph when he won the second F1 Grand Prix of his career at the Azerbaijan GP, Croft said the Melbourne racer was “too far back” in the drivers’ standings to catch Verstappen this year, but next year could be a different story.

“He is a world champion in the making and I think he has shown that in his junior career as well,” Croft said.

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Oscar Piastri won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Picture: Getty Images

“How soon depends on the car he drives. The fact he is now in a car that can win races, we are seeing the best of Oscar at the front of the grid, but in terms of how soon, who knows?

“Formula 1 is such a difficult sport to predict in that respect because as much as you can see an upward progression from the driver, technically they need the car to go with it as well.

“But if the two worlds collide and McLaren are a team that can run themselves into a world championship contender again next year, why couldn’t Oscar Piastri win next year?

“He is sort of guy that can absorb pressure 24 times a season in terms of racing and not make a huge amount of mistakes and it’s consistency that wins you championships and he is the top scorer in the last seven races, which shows you there is a consistency in Oscar Piastri that is a very useful weapon in his armoury to go and win a world title.”

Piastri sits fourth in the F1 drivers’ standings, 91 points behind Verstappen after his victory in Baku. Norris sits second, 59 points behind the Dutchman.

Croft felt that Piastri had too much ground to make up in the remaining races, but believed Norris could close the gap.

“When you are 90-odd points behind with seven races to go, I think that is a bit too far back,” Croft said.

Is Oscar Piastri a world champion in the making? Picture: Getty Images

“Especially when, as it stands at the moment, your championship rival is your teammate in the same car, not necessarily Red Bull, who are struggling a bit more.

“I think Lando can win it, I think Oscar is a bit too far back, but he is the top scorer in the last seven races, albeit his teammate’s not far off.

“Why was Lando so far behind in Baku? Because he got really unlucky with that yellow flag (in qualifying) to be fair.”

Croft, who leads the commentary for Sky Sports F1 featured on Fox Sports and Kayo, said McLaren would need to make some “harsh” calls in relation to team orders to help deliver Norris the world championship.

“Is Oscar a genuine drivers’ championship contender, or is Lando a genuine drivers’ championship contender? Make the decision,” Croft said.

“If they are neither then you leave it as it is, but if the team thinks one is – and I think maths-wise we all think one is and one isn’t – then you make that decision because why not give yourself the best crack at winning both championships.

“You don’t do that at the start of the season, you don’t do it midway through the season, which is why I said in commentary, Lando was right to give the place back in Hungary when he did because he was given a preferential strategy that was going to deny Oscar the win if he didn’t make way for his teammate.

Can Oscar Piastri make it three wins in the season? Picture: Getty Images

“But at this stage of the season, I think you do. You do impose those team orders because that is what is going to give you the best chance of winning both championships.

“While that is harsh, tough calls need to be made.

“If the situation is right, you favour Lando. There is the negative of what does that do for Oscar’s motivation but there are positives as well. It’s a really hard call to make.”

Croft said Piastri’s win in Baku was calm and mature.

“I thought that was typical Oscar Piastri, that was,” Croft said.

“He is so calm, he is so mature, he absorbs pressure, he is like some sort of pressure sponge at times. When he says that was the most stressful afternoon of his life, it doesn’t sound very stressful when he says it.

“I thought it was a super win for a guy that is going to go places and win way, way more in Formula 1. He is an exceptional talent, Oscar Piastri.”

Originally published as Formula 1 news 2024: David Croft on Oscar Piastri championship hopes, McLaren team dilemma