Ex-F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has lauded Oscar Piastri for his extraordinary composure, hailing McLaren’s young star as the “calmest head” he’s ever seen in Formula 1.
In a fiercely competitive season, Piastri is currently leading the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ championship with a slender 10-point advantage over his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, having achieved five wins in the opening nine races.
It’s a remarkable rise for the Australian, whose solid but unspectacular rookie season in 2024 gave little hint of the commanding performances seen this year, particularly in qualifying.
So far in 2025, Piastri has out-qualified Norris five times — already eclipsing his total from last season.
Writing in his regular column on F1.com, Palmer offered a glowing endorsement of Piastri’s performances, but also his temperament, suggesting it sets him apart from even the most seasoned competitors on the grid.
“Insanely Calm” Under Pressure
“Oscar also seems to have the calmest head, certainly that I can remember, in Formula 1,” Palmer wrote.
“It’s still early stages in his career and we haven’t yet seen him under title-deciding pressures – that’ll come later this year – but the man is insanely calm with whatever is going on around him.
“Kimi Raikkonen was known as the Iceman in Formula 1, but I’ve even seen him more animated than Oscar.”
Palmer’s comments come in the wake of a volatile weekend for three-time world champion Max Verstappen, who was handed a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points for a collision with George Russell in Barcelona.
Verstappen had been visibly frustrated by Red Bull’s tyre strategy and an on-track squeeze from Russell — factors that seemed to rattle the Dutchman.
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“This can only be a strength to be able to stay so composed – I’ve yet to see him make pressure mistakes and you can’t imagine him squandering points due to red mist, as Max Verstappen did on Sunday,” he added.
Still a Few Flaws to Address
While Palmer acknowledged that Piastri hasn’t been flawless this year, he emphasized how the McLaren driver has steadily addressed his shortcomings.
“He’s not been perfect this season. In Melbourne he was unlucky to lose a heap of points going off in the rain, but he was napping for the Imola start when he got passed by Verstappen, and was a bit scrappy in Monaco too,” he noted.
“There have been enough chances for Lando to stay in the hunt, and the title battle remains close, with Oscar just 10 points to the good.
“But from what I’ve seen so far, Oscar absolutely has the makeup of a champion, in a season where he’s turned his weaknesses into strengths.”
With more than half the season still to go, and the pressure of a potential maiden world title looming, Palmer believes the ultimate test for Piastri is still ahead.
But if early signs are anything to go by, the 24-year-old may be better prepared than most to handle the intensity of a championship showdown.
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