To say it’s been a challenging 2026 for Oscar Piastri would be an understatement.
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it → say → Piastri
The Australian driver hasn’t won a race in more than a year and sits seventh in the F1 drivers championship – in a season marred by poor luck, errors and reduced pace.
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driver → win → luck
But F1 legend and former world champion Damon Hill thinks Piastri can still win the championship in the future – so long as he’s in the right environment.
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he → think → environment
“It could be [at] McLaren,” Hill told this masthead.
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Hill → tell → masthead
“I think he’s digging himself out of a little bit of a flat spot at the moment.
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he → think → moment
He performed well in Sepang [at the Bahrain Grand Prix].
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He → perform → Prix
But you can’t judge someone’s form on a race-to-race basis.
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you → judge → basis
It’s got to be throughout the season.”
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It → get → season
Hill, the winner of 22 grands prix including the 1996 F1 world championship, travelled to Australia this month on a speaking tour, promoting his eponymous new documentary, Hill, which premieres at the British Film Festival this week.
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which → include → Festival
Hill is uniquely qualified to offer Piastri advice.
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Hill → qualify → advice
Piastri narrowly lost the championship last year to teammate Lando Norris after a dominant first half of the season.
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Piastri → lose → season
Hill lost the 1994 championship by one point during the final race of the season in Adelaide, after a crash with Michael Schumacher, in one of the most controversial incidents in F1 history.
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Hill → lose → history
The now 66-year-old maintains Piastri has a “sense of destiny” about him.
“
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Piastri → maintain → him
I think he’s had to obviously regroup a little bit after not winning the championship last year.
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he → think → championship
But you know, you learn a lot about the sport, and after a bit, you can start to take control,” he said.
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he → know → control
Hill likened Piastri to F1 veteran Fernando Alonso, noting the 25-year-old was smart and aware of his environment.
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old → liken → environment
“He knows what’s going on, but he’s still learning about the subtleties that can affect your career in Formula 1.
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that → know → Formula
That’s the bit that’s a bit of a mystery to most people.
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that → ’ → people
It’s a political environment as well as a sporting one.
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It → ’ → ?
Hill also notices similarities between Piastri and three-time world champion Max Verstappen, who is renowned for his no-nonsense attitude both on and off the track.
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who → notice → track
The famously unflappable McLaren driver has a cool and calm demeanour.
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driver → have → demeanour
His podium celebrations are understated, and he is stoic, especially compared to his predecessor – fan favourite Daniel Ricciardo, who was beloved on the grid for his extroverted personality and humour.
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who → compare → personality
I mean, he [Piastri] is clearly not an extrovert ...
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he → mean → ?
I think he looks quite reluctant to have to do all the other silly stuff that apparently you have to do as a driver,” Hill said.
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Hill → think → driver
“I compare him more to someone like Max with that, in terms of ‘I haven’t got time for the silliness’.”
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I → compare → silliness
Hill stressed that he did not mean the comparison as a criticism.
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he → stress → criticism
He admires the seriousness Piastri carries himself with.
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Piastri → admire → himself
“Lando [Norris] clearly has a personality which is easier to access.
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which → have → personality
He’s willing to give a bit of himself a bit more, which I think Oscar’s not comfortable doing or doesn’t want to do.
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Oscar → ’ → himself
“He wants to get on with the driving.
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He → want → driving
That’s what he came for.
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he → ’ → what
I think I really respect that.
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I → think → that
I think there’s a tendency to want to make drivers into performing seals.”
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I → think → seals
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday.
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News → send → sport
The Aporia
