Oscar Piastri weighs in on Alain Prost comparisons

Speaking to Autosport, the McLaren driver acknowledged that consistency and a calculated approach remain central to success, yet pointed out that the sport’s reliability standards have changed dramatically since Prost’s era.

“I’ve had that comparison from a few people with Prost,” Piastri said. “I see it in some ways. I think it’s very different.

“Back in the day, there were a lot more reliability concerns, a lot more driver-induced reliability issues as well.

“I think in some ways it’s quite different, but the mentality in some ways is the same, trying to be consistent.”

Piastri currently leads the 2025 drivers’ championship by nine points over McLaren teammate Lando Norris at the summer break.

He said that in today’s tightly contested battles, avoiding risks and finishing races often matters more than chasing every win.

“When you’re fighting for first and second, it’s a seven-point difference, but if you don’t finish the race, it’s potentially 18 or 25 points you lose – so you do still have to make sure you finish the races, be consistent and not take unnecessary risks,” he said.

“The mentality is probably pretty similar, which has worked pretty well in the past.”

The comparisons were sparked by comments from Prost at last month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the French legend said he saw parallels between Piastri’s on-track intelligence and his own tactical style.

“I saw him driving in Formula 3, or even before, and then Formula 2. I like the way he behaves, a little bit like me, thinking about when to do the right manoeuvre for overtaking and being a little bit more clever,” he said.

Prost also revealed that he played a role in Piastri’s rise, having pushed Renault to sign the Australian to its young driver academy in the early stages of his career.

“I know Oscar much better because I was the one to push Renault to bring him into the academy a long time ago. They did not want to,” he added.

The four-time champion added that Piastri’s ability to combine natural skill with a strategic mindset marked him out as a rare prospect.

“You never know what’s going to happen, but these types of drivers normally, they can make a progression. If it’s only the driving skill, sometimes they are in a plateau. So I did not do a mistake.”