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Oscar Piastri took his first pole position in the 2025 F1 season since August, and Karun Chandhok has compared his racecraft to an iconic Formula 1 driver who is often floated around in the best driver of all time conversation.
On a weekend where Lando Norris could secure his very first Formula 1 world championship, Oscar Piastri has finally returned to his world-beating form.
The Australian is yet to put a foot wrong since touching down in Lusail for the Qatar Grand Prix, and his pole lap in qualifying for Sunday’s race could be the best lap we have seen all season.
Even Norris had no answer to Piastri’s brilliance. The British driver simply applauded his McLaren counterpart and championship rival, highlighting the fact that he had no excuse as to why the Australian was faster than him.
All things considered… the lap of the season?
Karun Chandhok compares Oscar Piastri to Alain Prost in Qatar Grand Prix pole lap analysis
Karun Chandhok wasn’t short of plaudits for the 24-year-old during his analysis of Piastri’s pole lap back for Sky Sports F1 viewers.
The former F1 driver went as far as comparing the racecraft of the nine-time Grand Prix winner to that of the four-time world champion, Alain Prost.
He said, “I always love watching Piastri; he’s got a very smooth, driving style, almost Alain Prost-esque, and the way his inputs to the steering wheel go, and the way he loads the car up.
“There are lots of little warnings before, but he doesn’t do anything in a knee-jerk way.
“Up into turns four and five, this is where he had the big moment yesterday when he was getting his sprint pole. No issues on this lap.”
Piastri’s fine form in Qatar has already seen him secure pole for the Sprint race and convert that into a victory on Saturday afternoon.
The result moved him up to within 22 points of Norris in the championship fight, where he will need another fine result in Sunday’s Grand Prix to keep his title hopes alive.
Who was the MVP of qualifying?
Karun Chandhok also highlighted Oscar Piastri’s ‘brilliant bravery’ during his pole lap
Continuing with his analysis of the 1:19.387s lap that served as the benchmark for the rest of the grid, Chandhok highlighted how committed the McLaren star was during his stunning pole position lap.
“He was really committed on the inside curve there for [turn] five,” Chandhok added. “And then brings it all down into the apex for [turn] six beautifully.
“No lockups on the inside wheel, no under rotation despite a little camber and the inside wheel dropping off there.
“Up the hill to seven, eight, nine. Slightly wide on the initial turn in, is Oscar. He has a slightly different line than some other people.
“The car is responding back to the chain of direction, into ten, just chucks it in so well there. And I love watching 12, 13, 14, he set himself yesterday, he gets a buzz out of it.
“Just listen to this. It’s so fast, such brilliant bravery and commitment there. And then the penultimate corner, turn 15, just one quick downshift.”
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