Oscar Piastri admits he tried to learn so much from one Formula 1 driver last year

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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has admitted he tried to learn so much from legendary driver Fernando Alonso during his time at Alpine last year.

Oscar Piastri couldn’t have asked for a better first season in Formula 1 after producing the best rookie campaign in the sport since Lewis Hamilton.

The young Australian was speaking to the official Formula 1 website after winning the FIA Rookie of the Year award for the second time in his career.

While other young drivers are struggling for opportunities to get into F1, Oscar Piastri is thriving.

After he won Formula 2 at his first attempt in 2021, McLaren decided they needed the 22-year-old as part of their line-up.

They were so desperate to sign him that they were willing to sacrifice experienced race winner Daniel Ricciardo as a result.

However, they had to convince Piastri to leave Alpine and although the French team were desperate to keep hold of him, ultimately, they lost out.

Piastri has suggested that he tried to learn as much as he could from Fernando Alonso before moving on.

In the end, both drivers moved on with Alonso starring for Aston Martin this year.

What the team would do now to have an Alonso-Piastri pairing heading into 2024?

Piastri admits trying to learn from Alonso while at Alpine

Asked who his biggest role models going into Formula 1 were, Piastri said: “Mark Webber was somebody that I watched growing up because when I started following F1, he was sort of in the peak of his career at Red Bull and they were winning a lot at the time.

“So, him being the only Aussie on the grid, I naturally followed him.

“What Lewis [Hamilton] has been able to achieve in the last 10, 15 years has been incredibly impressive.

“I think what Max [Verstappen] is doing at the moment is very impressive as well even if we do all have to go and try and beat him.

“I think working with Fernando [Alonso] last year in pretty close detail was also an eye-opener and I tried to learn a lot from that experience.”

There aren’t many better drivers out there for Piastri to learn from than Alonso on the grid.

The two-time world champion is an unbelievable driver and always gets the very best out of his car no matter its underlying pace.

Piastri still has to improve and will be keen to close the gap with Lando Norris next season.

However, the Australian has some bragging rights over his teammate after earning his first F1 win before his more experienced teammate.