Piastri says Verstappen is the perfect example of a driver who proved F1 worth without junior titles

Australian rookie Oscar Piastri told RacingNews365 that Max Verstappen is the ‘perfect example’ of a driver who didn’t need a junior title to earn an F1 seat. While Verstappen vaulted to the grid after just a year in single‑seaters, Piastri’s own climb was built on back‑to‑back F3 and F2 championships. The contrast highlights how divergent the routes to Formula 1 can be.

Why it matters:

• Talent identification: Teams may look beyond trophies when scouting drivers.
• Career planning: Young racers see a rapid rise is possible without a long list of junior titles.
• Narrative shift: Verstappen’s success challenges the belief that multiple junior crowns are required for F1.

The details:

• Verstappen raced only one season in European F3, finishing third, before joining Red Bull’s F1 roster.
• Piastri spent three years climbing the ladder, winning back‑to‑back F3 (2020) and F2 (2021) titles, yet says junior championships are not a prerequisite for F1 – his own Abu Dhabi title fight felt as intense despite the longer 22‑race calendar.
• He narrowly missed the 2023 championship in Abu Dhabi, underscoring the pressure he described from his junior days.

What's next:

Teams may start valuing raw pace over junior titles as the next wave of talent eyes a grid seat.