Max Verstappen is mighty impressed with McLaren rival Oscar Piastri: “He delivers when he has to, barely makes mistakes”

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen could have won his second race of the season and was even leading until the very end after securing pole position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix . However, it was Oscar Piastri , for the third time this season, who sped past in his McLaren to lift the winner’s trophy. Verstappen is mighty impressed with Piastri and has praised his strong rival for being so “solid” so early in his racing career.

Max Verstappen is all praise for Oscar PiastriLike a true champion, Max Verstappen, 27, didn’t get upset at Oscar Piastri for surpassing him in the end but was rather impressed by all the positives he saw in him. While talking to the media after the race, Verstappen said, as reported by Fox Sports, “I think I’ve said it before, people forget a little bit – last year was his (Oscar Piastri’s) second year. Now he’s in his third year, and he’s very solid. He’s very calm in his approach, and I like that. It shows on track. He delivers when he has to, barely makes mistakes – and that’s what you need when you want to fight for a championship.”

Verstappen not only praised Piastri but also his mentor, Mark Webber, for guiding him in the right way. Piastri is the first Australian to lead the Drivers' Championship since Webber did so 15 years ago. He even compared Webber’s mentorship to that of his own father, Jos Verstappen. “And I think with Mark by his side, he’s helping him a lot. It’s great. People learn from their own careers – that’s what I had with my dad [Jos Verstappen], and Mark [Webber] is advising Oscar. At the end of the day, Oscar is using his talent, and that’s great to see,” he said.

15 years later... 👀

Oscar Piastri is the first Australian to lead the drivers'
championship since his manager, Mark Webber, back in 2010 🇦🇺#F1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/5rtcgvGxva

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2025

Piastri’s win at Jeddah was his third of the season. Verstappen had everything to win the race, but his five-second penalty played spoilsport and pushed him to the second spot on the podium. Following the two was Charles Leclerc, who finally clinched his first podium of the year by finishing third at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Also Read: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025 results: Oscar Piastri claims third win of the season, pushes Max Verstappen to second

Up next is the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, set for May 16–18. The drivers are expected to take a breather, and the teams are expected to make improvements to their cars during the three-and-a-half-week break. Verstappen is also soon to become a father, with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet due to deliver next month.