In a turn of praise few would have predicted years ago, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone recently rated Oscar Piastri as the top driver in 2025 behind Max Verstappen. Ecclestone argues that Piastri’s mindset — accepting his mistakes, not blaming others, and learning — makes him stand out.
That’s a bold endorsement. But is it fair? Let’s examine what Ecclestone said, then compare Piastri’s 2025 performance with George Russell, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc — and see whether Piastri truly deserves that mantle.
What Ecclestone Says About Piastri
Ecclestone’s praise isn’t just about lap times. He highlights Piastri’s mental and emotional approach:
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Accountability: He says Piastri doesn’t shirk blame or make excuses when things go wrong.
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Learning curve: Ecclestone notes Piastri doesn’t repeat mistakes — he learns from them.
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Consistency & maturity: Implicit in his statement is that Piastri combines speed with steadiness, not just flash.
The full line is: “He’s the best driver after Max Verstappen.” “
Followed by: “When he makes mistakes, he knows he’s made them. He doesn’t blame others or cme up with excuses.”
That’s a loaded claim — Ecclestone doesn’t say “among the best” or “one of the best” — he says the best after Verstappen. That raises the bar high. But it also provides an interesting lens for evaluating Piastri’s strengths and limits, especially compared to Russell, Norris, and Leclerc.
Piastri vs. Russell, Norris, Leclerc: Who Stands Out?
Let’s compare Piastri’s 2025 traits and results with the other four:
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Strengths:
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Composure: Piastri is often praised for his calm under pressure. He rarely visibly “flaps” when under attack or when things go wrong.
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Mistake Control: He’s shown the ability to bounce back from errors, and he seems less prone to repeated misjudgments.
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Balanced performance: He’s strong in both qualifying and race pace.
Weaknesses / challenges:
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He sometimes loses out in outright wheel-to-wheel fights where physical aggression or racecraft nuance comes into play.
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McLaren’s strategy or execution errors (e.g. slow pit stops) sometimes cost him more than his rivals.
George Russell (Mercedes)
Russell is often seen as among the most complete drivers on the grid.
Strengths:
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Qualifying speed: Russell often extracts borderline laps in qualifying and gets Mercedes into strong starting positions.
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Race consistency: His pace management, tyre conservation, and ability to extract performance across stints are well respected.
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Resilience: Even in less competitive weekends, Russell tends to salvage results.
In many ways, Russell is a benchmark of steadiness. One could argue he’s more “safe” than Piastri in certain conditions.
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Norris brings aggression, flair, and raw speed.
Strengths:
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Attack mode: He’s fearless in passing attempts, especially when the car gives him a chance.
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Car feedback: Norris is vocal and precise with what his car needs, which can drive development.
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Raw pace: On his day, Norris is among the fastest.
Weaknesses / challenges:
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Overdriving occasionally leads to mistakes or tyre degradation issues.
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When under pressure or when the car is marginal, his aggressive style can be a liability.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Leclerc is known for speed, especially in qualifying, and fighting spirit.
Strengths:
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Qualifying brilliance: Leclerc often places Ferrari on the front row or in top positions even when the car is not perfect.
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Racecraft under pressure: When things go right, Leclerc can defend aggressively and extract results from limited machinery.
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Fight mentality: He’s rarely intimidated and often drives beyond expectations.
Weaknesses / challenges:
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Ferrari’s weaknesses (tyre wear, setup sensitivity) sometimes betray him in long races.
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When the car is off balance, Leclerc’s aggression can amplify errors.
Does Ecclestone’s Claim Hold Up?
Given all that, how does Piastri stack up to Ecclestone’s assertion?
Why it’s defensible:
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Mental edge: The arguments about accountability and emotional maturity are strong ones. Not every speedster handles pressure well; Piastri seems to.
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Consistency across conditions: He has demonstrated ability in both clean air and traffic, though not always dominating.
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Championship form: He’s in a title fight, which itself elevates his credibility.
Where it strains:
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Russell’s reliability and racecraft: Russell has shown over many years that he can maximize weaker cars, limit damage, and deliver week in, week out.
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Norris’s aggression and raw speed: When McLaren is strong, Norris is a threat to outgun almost anyone.
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Leclerc’s qualifying firepower: On tracks that reward single-lap performance, Leclerc often leaps ahead.
Put simply: Ecclestone’s statement is bold but not without merit — it emphasizes traits beyond just lap times. But calling Piastri the best after Verstappen discounts the strengths of Russell, Norris, and Leclerc in domains where they might outperform him.
My Take: Piastri Is Among the Best — But Not Alone
I tend to agree with much of Ecclestone’s praise: Piastri’s maturity, error control, and balanced talent make him a very strong candidate for “best of the rest.” But I’d stop short of crowning him uncontested in that role.
If I were ranking:
1st Max Verstappen
2nd Piastri / Russell (tie)
3rd Norris / Leclerc (tie)
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Piastri edges it over Russell in some scenarios (e.g. fewer high-risk maneuvers), but Russell’s long-term consistency and adaptability keep him right beside.
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Norris’s aggression is invaluable, but carries risk.
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Leclerc still has flashes of brilliance that can outshine them all under certain conditions.
Ecclestone’s praise is a strong recognition of Piastri’s evolution — a sign that many in F1 now see him as more than just a “young talent.” Whether or not he is the best after Verstappen, he’s undeniably cemented himself in that conversation.
