It has been more than 400 days since Oscar Piastri last stood on the top step of a Formula 1 podium, and the Australian sits a lowly seventh in the 2026 drivers' championship — yet one of the sport's greatest champions believes the 25-year-old still has a world title in his future.
Former F1 world champion Damon Hill has thrown his support behind Piastri, insisting the McLaren driver is merely navigating a temporary rough patch and has all the qualities needed to eventually claim the sport's ultimate prize.
A tough 2026 for Oscar Piastri
After coming agonisingly close to winning the 2025 drivers' championship — only to lose out to his own teammate Lando Norris following a dominant first half of the season — Piastri's 2026 campaign has been hampered by a combination of misfortune, errors and a lack of outright pace. His last race victory now sits more than a year in the rearview mirror.
Hill, who knows a thing or two about championship heartbreak, sees parallels with his own career. The 66-year-old famously lost the 1994 title by a single point at the final race of the season in Adelaide, after a collision with Michael Schumacher in one of the most contentious moments in F1 history. He went on to claim the 1996 world championship — proof, he suggests, that setbacks do not define a driver's legacy.
"I think he's digging himself out of a little bit of a flat spot at the moment," Hill said of Piastri. "He performed well in Sepang. But you can't judge someone's form on a race-to-race basis. It's got to be throughout the season."
Hill sees a "sense of destiny" in Piastri
Hill, a winner of 22 grands prix and the 1996 world championship, visited Australia this month as part of a speaking tour to promote his new documentary, which premieres at the British Film Festival. Speaking candidly, he said Piastri carries a "sense of destiny" that marks him out as a potential future champion — provided he is in the right environment.
"It could be at McLaren," Hill said. "I think he's had to obviously regroup a little bit after not winning the championship last year. But you know, you learn a lot about the sport, and after a bit, you can start to take control."
Hill drew comparisons between Piastri and two of the sport's most accomplished names. He likened the Australian's intelligence and situational awareness to that of Fernando Alonso, while also comparing his no-nonsense demeanour to that of three-time champion Max Verstappen.
"He knows what's going on, but he's still learning about the subtleties that can affect your career in Formula 1," Hill said. "That's the bit that's a bit of a mystery to most people. It's a political environment as well as a sporting one."
The "performing seal" problem — and why Hill respects Piastri's approach
One of the more striking aspects of Piastri's public profile is his understated personality — a deliberate contrast to fan favourite and predecessor Daniel Ricciardo, whose extroverted humour made him one of the most beloved figures on the grid. Piastri's podium celebrations are muted, his media appearances measured.
Hill does not view this as a weakness. If anything, he finds it admirable.
"He is clearly not an extrovert," Hill said. "I think he looks quite reluctant to have to do all the other silly stuff that apparently you have to do as a driver. I compare him more to someone like Max with that — 'I haven't got time for the silliness'."
Hill was equally complimentary of Norris, acknowledging that the reigning champion's personality is more accessible to fans. But he was quick to defend Piastri's more guarded approach.
"Lando clearly has a personality which is easier to access. 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. He wants to get on with the driving. That's what he came for," Hill said. "I think there's a tendency to want to make drivers into performing seals."
For Hill, that singular focus on racing — rather than spectacle — may ultimately be what drives Piastri to the top of Formula 1.
