Alan Jones, the 1980 Formula 1 World Champion, doesn’t mince his words. According to him, his compatriot Oscar Piastri has all the qualities to follow in his footsteps and become the third Australian to win the coveted title. Jones also points to McLaren teammate Lando Norris, whom he bluntly calls ‘weak’.
At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri achieved a double victory. The McLaren driver won his third race of the season and took over the lead in the drivers’ championship from teammate Lando Norris. The Brit, who started the season strongly with a victory in Melbourne, has been openly discussing his mental approach to the sport in recent weeks.
Alan Jones, the last Australian world champion known for his hard racing style, even calls the 25-year-old driver ‘weak’ in an interview with The Back Page. “At the end of the day, his teammate is weak. His teammate is quite fast, there’s no doubt about that, but mentally I find him to be quite a weak person,” he says. “He comes out with all this nonsense that he has a bit of a mental thing, he dwells on some of the issues he’s had instead of the positives. When they start talking all that nonsense, you know you’ve got them.”
A Young Head on Young Shoulders
In 1980, Jones became the second Australian world champion, driving for Frank Williams’ team. Between 1975 and 1986, he secured 12 Grand Prix victories and 24 podium finishes. Piastri has already achieved five race victories from just 51 starts, 14 of which were top three finishes. For the first time in his budding career, the 24-year-old driver leads the rankings, making him only the fourth Aussie to do so after Jack Brabham, Jones, and Mark Webber. “Without a doubt, Piastri can win the title this year. He’s come almost out of nowhere, and he has all the qualities needed to become a world champion,” Jones asserts.
He sings the praises of his compatriot, lauding his attributes. “Oscar is a pretty headstrong young man. I like him. He doesn’t show off, he doesn’t dance around, he’s just a strong individual, and that’s exactly what he needs to get the job done,” he states. “He has an old head on young shoulders. He’s very, very mature. He’s very relaxed. He’s not easily rattled, whereas I think his teammate is a bit the other way,” he adds.
The 78-year-old Jones believes that Piastri will take advantage of this. “I think his teammate can be quite easily blown away. Piastri has the brains and the strength to do that. He’s very relaxed, he doesn’t say much, and he just gets on with it, which I like. Out of the car, he’s quiet, but once he gets in the car, he lets the horns grow, and that’s what you want.”
