Praise floods in for 'real deal' Aussie after F2 triumph

2 years ago 363

Towering praise is flooding successful for Oscar Piastri aft the Australian racing young weapon clinched the 2021 Formula 2 title successful Abu Dhabi connected Saturday.

The 20-year-old Melbourne merchandise executed a tactically superb thrust connected the penultimate time of the title to decorativeness 3rd successful Abu Dhabi's archetypal sprint contention of the weekend. He had the rubric sewed up with 2 races remaining successful the season.

Piastri, who successful November was revealed arsenic Alpine's Formula 1 reserve operator for 2022, has present won 3 titles successful arsenic galore years, having conquered the 2019 Formula Eurocup, 2020 Formula 3 title and this year's Formula 2 tournament.

Piastri has besides joined George Russell and Charles Leclerc – some Formula 1 drivers successful 2021 – arsenic 1 of conscionable 3 to person won the apical inferior part successful a rookie season.

Veteran Fernando Alonso, a two-time Formula 1 champion, is contracted to Alpine until the extremity of 2022, and Piastri is expected to regenerate the Spaniard successful 2023.

"What a play from him," tweeted Formula 1 writer Chris Medland aft Piastri's triumph.

"Absolutely the existent deal.

"Such a shame helium won't beryllium successful F1 adjacent year."

Dario Franchitti, a four-time IndyCar Series and three-time Indianapolis 500 champion, labelled Piastri "pure class".

"A precise agleam F1 aboriginal ahead," Franchitti added.

Russell, present racing with Williams successful Formula 1 and acceptable to articulation Mercedes, posted: "Congratulations, Oscar Piastri. Impressive season!".

Formula 1 commentary icon Martin Brundle wrote: "Pretty wide that Oscar volition beryllium a full-time F1 operator sooner than later, to adhd to the large young endowment we already person going forward".

And Formula 1 newsman Luke Smith posted: "Hell of a drive, hellhole of a season!".

Conjecture overhangs Guanyu Zhou's admittance into Formula 1 for 2022, fixed the Chinese operator this twelvemonth competed successful Formula 2 for the 3rd clip but went a 3rd twelvemonth successful succession without winning a title.

Zhou volition successful 2022 spouse Valterri Bottas astatine Alfa Romeo contempt Piastri having been a far-superior operator successful the inferior categories.

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