Piastri became the fifth Australian to win a world championship race when he claimed the Hungarian Grand Prix last month.
It saw him join a club that includes world title winners Sir Jack Brabham and Alan, Jones, with suggestions the Melburnian will become the third Australian to be crowned champion.
“I said about three races ago, before he did win that race, I said that he’s going to emerge as one of the greatest drivers of the next decade,” opined Eddie Jordan on the Formula for Success podcast.
Jordan was responsible for giving Michael Schumacher his debut in F1, along with a host of other drivers when he owned his own team – which continues to this day under the Aston Martin banner.
His comments came as part of a conversation with Alpine consultant Flavio Briatore.
The controversial Italian was team boss at Benetton during the 1990s when Schumacher won his first two world championships, and was also in charge when Fernando Alonso won his two titles.
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Briatore was also Mark Webber’s manager for over a decade, the Australian now overseeing Piastri’s F1 career.
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“Honestly, the guy who impressed me the most in Formula 1 was Mark Webber, who was with me for 15 years,” Briatore said.
“He is one of the best people I have met in Formula 1. he was always loyal, he’s sincere, he’s a friend, he’s respectful”.
It prompted Jordan to ask: “Do you think [Webber] learned a lot by being managed by you?”
“Well the fact that Piastri looks like world champion material then yes,” Briatore responded.
“If he’s not [world champion] next year, then 2027, he will be there. If McLaren still have this car, Piastri, I believe, is one of the best drivers.”
Formula 1 returns from its summer break this weekend, with the Dutch Grand Prix.
Opening practice begins on Friday at 20:30 AEST.
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