'Talent Is Undeniable': Piastri Shares Honest Opinion On Verstappen

Friday, 27 December 2024 at 10:00

McLaren Racing driver Oscar PIastri evaluated Red Bull's Max Verstappen after the end of the 2024 season.

In 2024, Max Verstappen added a fourth consecutive title to his collection despite not having the fastest car for most of the season.

Oscar Piastri's teammate Lando Norris came closest to beating the Dutchman. However, he fell short by 63 points and lost the title two race weekends before the end of the season.

Norris and Verstappen had multiple controversial battles, after which the 27-year-old Red Bull Racing driver was heavily criticized for his aggressive driving style.

Speaking to RacingNews365, Piastri shared his opinion on Verstappen as a driver and his driving style in general.

"You can't take anything away from Max in terms of his ability, in terms of his success, his results."

Read also

Verstappen Essential In Helping Red Bull With One Particular Problem Says Horner

"He's definitely an incredibly ruthless racer. It's obvious from watching his career that he makes life incredibly tough and pushes the boundaries of the rules. Sometimes, yes, there have been times when he's stepped over the limit."

The Australian driver had one collision with Max Verstappen during the final Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi. At that time, it was the worst thing that could have happened to him as McLaren was fighting for the Constructors' Championship.

But ultimately, McLaren won the Championship and the four-time world champion found Piastri after the race to apologize to him for the incident. The 23-year-old continued:

"Hard racing is what we all come to expect. And I don't think you'll find anyone on the grid that's easy to race against."

"Maybe Max is firmer, but it's firmer from an already firm position. I've seen the incidents this year and just how Max has raced in general."

"Sometimes it has bordered on being a bit too far. For me, you always know what to expect, which is sometimes better than being up against someone who is unpredictable."

While there were many debates on how aggressive the Dutchman's driving style is, both team principals and F1 drivers voted Verstappen the best driver on the grid in 2024. Piastri added:

"The talent is undeniable. He's a very deserving champion this year, and hopefully, we can come out the blocks strong and mount a challenge from the start."