Piastri has 99 points after the opening five races of the year, 10 more than teammate Lando Norris.

He’s also amassed three wins in that time, with a dominant performance in China, a stoic drive in Bahrain, and a combative performance in Saudi Arabia.

That has helped McLaren to a 77-point advantage over Mercedes at the top of the constructors’ championship, with Red Bull already 99 points adrift.

Piastri’s Saudi win also creates a charming link to his manager, Mark Webber, who was the last Australian to head the drivers’ title.

Webber last did that following the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix as he found himself embroiled in a four-way championship battle with Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, and Sebastian Vettel.

A multiple champion in the junior formulae, Piastri’s Jeddah drive now marks him out as the hunted rather than the hunter.

“I still want to go out and try and win every race I can,” he insisted.

“I was saying before, I’m not that bothered by the fact that I’m leading the championship, but I’m proud of the work and the reasons behind why we’re leading the championship.

“Melbourne wasn’t a great start to the year in terms of results but from the moment I’ve hit the track this season, I felt like I’ve been in a good place.

“Leading the championship is a result of all the hard work we’ve done in the off-season, the hard work I’ve done personally, the hard work the team’s done.

“I’m more proud of all of those things than I am of the fact that I’m leading the championship because, ultimately, I want to be leading it after Round 24, not Round 5.”

Piastri is only the fourth Australian to ever lead the world drivers’ championship, following in the footsteps of three-time world champion Sir Jack Brabham, 1980 title winner Alan Jones, and nine-time race winner Webber.

2025 F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings