The former Autosport editor and author of more than 50 books on the sport has tracked Piastri’s rise since his junior formula days and says there is little doubt about the Australian’s long-term potential.
“The skill is undoubtedly there to be a world champion,” Jones told Speedcafe.
“Will he be this year? We’ll see how the cars will be, but he will be a world champion. There is no doubting it. Unless something peculiar happens to his career.
“But there can’t be a team out there that won’t go well, if McLaren had enough of him, we’ll take him.”
Jones pointed to Piastri’s exceptional record in stepping-stone categories as evidence of a driver equipped to succeed at the highest level.
“I was massively impressed with Oscar before he got to Formula 1,” he said.
“Anyone who can win a stepping-stone formula now it’s so regimented, has got something about them.
“Anyone who can win two of the three is something special. He won three in three years. Enough said.”
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Jones also highlighted the importance of Piastri’s support network, particularly his manager and former F1 driver Mark Webber, whose guidance has helped the Australian navigate the pressures of the sport.
“I think Mark Webber, he’s got a fantastic person managing him,” he added.
“They would have learned together last year, and the vagaries of life under the spotlight. I think he’s a very cool individual.”
That composure, Jones noted, will be crucial as F1 prepares for a major technical reset in 2026 — a season he expects to be unpredictable, particularly in its early stages.
“Before previous major tech rule changes, long ago, there was endless out-of-season testing, so you had a pretty good idea before the cars got put on the plane to fly off to start the season,” he said.
“But now it’s almost this blind, and they literally have a handful of days of meaningful testing, and all it takes is for one of those to be wiped out by inclement weather.”
While the regulation changes will affect all drivers, Jones believes teams with large design offices — McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes — are likely to retain an advantage in adapting quickly.
“You just have to presume that the top teams will remain the top teams down to the sheer number of people they’ve got with them,” he said.
“I mean, can Adrian Newey weave some magic to impress his team principal? Oh, hold on, he is the team principal!
“Aston Martin, possibly. But you just have to feel that McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes will be there.
“Ferrari will have a stab, but you know the big question with Ferrari: what are they doing?
“They’ve been there, or thereabouts, for such a long time now, and you have to think, well, hold on, whatever formula you’re using, it’s not working.
“You can’t fault their drivers. And to see Lewis Hamilton at sea for almost an entire season, you don’t suddenly lose all your ability. I don’t know, it’s very hard to judge.”
With new regulations and new cars set to test teams and drivers alike, Jones remains confident Piastri has the tools to thrive.
“I’m super impressed with the way that Oscar keeps his emotions in check, by and large, particularly under a lot of provocation last year,” he added. “
“You don’t get drivers of that standard very often in Formula 1.”
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