The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-10-07 · by Hannah Kennelly
Oscar Piastri hasn't won an F1 race in 402 days and is currently seventh in the championship standings after facing a string of poor results and setbacks this year. Despite his current struggles, former world champion Damon Hill believes Piastri retains the potential to become a future champion if placed in the right team environment, like McLaren. Hill draws parallels between Piastri's demeanor and those of Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso, noting Piastri’s serious approach to racing and reluctance to engage in extracurricular activities typical of F1 drivers.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
To say it’s been a challenging 2026 for Oscar Piastri would be an understatement. The Australian driver hasn’t won a race in more than a year and currently sits seventh in the F1 drivers championship, facing poor luck, errors, and reduced pace. However, former world champion Damon Hill, who has won 22 grands prix including the 1996 title, believes Piastri still has potential to win future championships if he’s in the right environment like at his current team McLaren. Speaking during a tour promoting his new documentary "Hill" in Australia, Hill said Piastri performed well in Sepang but stressed that one cannot judge form on race-to-race basis; it must be seen throughout an entire season. Piastri narrowly lost the championship to teammate Lando Norris last year despite dominating the first half of the season.
Written for “F1 Driver Performance Concerns” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
To say it’s been a challenging 2026 for Oscar Piastri would be an understatement.
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it → say → Piastri
The Australian driver hasn’t won a race in more than a year and sits seventh in the F1 drivers championship – in a season marred by poor luck, errors and reduced pace.
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driver → win → luck
But F1 legend and former world champion Damon Hill thinks Piastri can still win the championship in the future – so long as he’s in the right environment.
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he → think → environment
“It could be [at] McLaren,” Hill told this masthead.
uncertain
Hill → tell → masthead
“I think he’s digging himself out of a little bit of a flat spot at the moment.
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he → think → moment
He performed well in Sepang [at the Bahrain Grand Prix].
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He → perform → Prix
But you can’t judge someone’s form on a race-to-race basis.
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you → judge → basis
It’s got to be throughout the season.”
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It → get → season
Hill, the winner of 22 grands prix including the 1996 F1 world championship, travelled to Australia this month on a speaking tour, promoting his eponymous new documentary, Hill, which premieres at the British Film Festival this week.
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which → include → Festival
Hill is uniquely qualified to offer Piastri advice.
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Hill → qualify → advice
Piastri narrowly lost the championship last year to teammate Lando Norris after a dominant first half of the season.
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Piastri → lose → season
Hill lost the 1994 championship by one point during the final race of the season in Adelaide, after a crash with Michael Schumacher, in one of the most controversial incidents in F1 history.
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Hill → lose → history
The now 66-year-old maintains Piastri has a “sense of destiny” about him.
“
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Piastri → maintain → him
I think he’s had to obviously regroup a little bit after not winning the championship last year.
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he → think → championship
But you know, you learn a lot about the sport, and after a bit, you can start to take control,” he said.
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he → know → control
Hill likened Piastri to F1 veteran Fernando Alonso, noting the 25-year-old was smart and aware of his environment.
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old → liken → environment
“He knows what’s going on, but he’s still learning about the subtleties that can affect your career in Formula 1.
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that → know → Formula
That’s the bit that’s a bit of a mystery to most people.
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that → ’ → people
It’s a political environment as well as a sporting one.
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It → ’ → ?
Hill also notices similarities between Piastri and three-time world champion Max Verstappen, who is renowned for his no-nonsense attitude both on and off the track.
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who → notice → track
The famously unflappable McLaren driver has a cool and calm demeanour.
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driver → have → demeanour
His podium celebrations are understated, and he is stoic, especially compared to his predecessor – fan favourite Daniel Ricciardo, who was beloved on the grid for his extroverted personality and humour.
“
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who → compare → personality
I mean, he [Piastri] is clearly not an extrovert ...
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he → mean → ?
I think he looks quite reluctant to have to do all the other silly stuff that apparently you have to do as a driver,” Hill said.
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Hill → think → driver
“I compare him more to someone like Max with that, in terms of ‘I haven’t got time for the silliness’.”
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I → compare → silliness
Hill stressed that he did not mean the comparison as a criticism.
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he → stress → criticism
He admires the seriousness Piastri carries himself with.
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Piastri → admire → himself
“Lando [Norris] clearly has a personality which is easier to access.
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which → have → personality
He’s willing to give a bit of himself a bit more, which I think Oscar’s not comfortable doing or doesn’t want to do.
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Oscar → ’ → himself
“He wants to get on with the driving.
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He → want → driving
That’s what he came for.
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he → ’ → what
I think I really respect that.
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I → think → that
I think there’s a tendency to want to make drivers into performing seals.”
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I → think → seals
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday.
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News → send → sport
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