Piastri 'Soaked Up' Learnings From Observing Alonso For One Year Says Croft

Monday, 22 January 2024 at 13:00

Sky Sports commentator David Croft highlighted during a recent speaking event he believes much of Oscar Piastri's learning comes from Fernando Alonso.

Both the double World Champions Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri were a part of the Alpine F1 team during the 2022 season. However, the French team lost two super valuable drivers going into the 2023 season.

During his time at Alpine, Piastri didn't race and only sat on the sidelines and watched Alonso on the track with his teammate Esteban Ocon. David Croft believes this one year was crucial for the Australian rookie.

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The Sky Sports presenter suggested that the 22-year-old surely had a lot of time to absorb learnings from the most experienced driver on the grid at this moment. He said at the Autosport International event:

"Oscar’s a sponge of a driver. He soaks everything up, he learns. He learned at the hands of Fernando Alonso. He spent a year watching Fernando in the garage, and he soaked it all up, and he’s used all that experience."

Piastri achieved during his first season what some of the drivers on the grid haven't achieved in their whole career. The McLaren F1 driver already collected two Grand Prix podiums and a Sprint Race vicotry (in Qatar).

Moreover, he won the Rookie of the Year award and came quite close to breaking Hamilton's record for the most points amassed during a rookie season. David Crof added:

"It was one of the best rookie seasons, I think, since Lewis Hamilton, back in 2007. I’m a big fan of Oscar Piastri."

Could the double World Champion have played an important part in Piastri's development as a driver? The 22-year-old left Alpine in quite a controversial manner, so he doesn't talk about it too often. But maybe, we will find out one day.