Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Alain Prost has openly declared his support for Oscar Piastri in the intense championship battle currently taking place between the two McLaren drivers. Speaking at the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed, the French legend did not hesitate to express his preference when asked to choose between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, both currently fighting at the top of the standings in the 2025 Formula One season.
Alain Prost was one of the key figures at this year’s Goodwood event, joining other historic F1 names such as Nigel Mansell, Sir Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti, Mika Häkkinen, and Riccardo Patrese. While appearing on the famous balcony of the Goodwood House, he was interviewed by Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok. Although much of the event celebrated motorsport legends, the conversation shifted to modern-day racing, prompting a question about the current McLaren driver pairing.
As a former McLaren driver himself, Alain Prost was asked who he personally preferred between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The Frenchman gave a clear and candid response: “I know Oscar much better. I was the one who pushed Renault very hard to bring him into the Alpine Academy many years ago — and at first, they didn’t want to. I had already seen him racing in Formula 4, then in Formula 3, and of course in Formula 2. I saw real talent in him from the start.”
Oscar Piastri officially joined the Alpine Academy in 2020 and remained with the Enstone-based team for two years. He followed a rigorous development programme that included extensive testing, all designed to prepare him for Formula 1. However, a contractual dispute at the end of 2022 led to a dramatic split: Alpine wanted to retain him as a reserve driver before promoting him to a race seat, while McLaren offered him an immediate spot on the Formula 1 grid for 2023. The Australian driver chose McLaren and made his race debut with the team.
Alain Prost, now 70 years old, said he sees parts of himself in Oscar Piastri’s driving approach: “I like Oscar a lot. In the way he behaves on track, I recognize a bit of myself. He knows when to make a move; he’s very thoughtful in overtaking, and to be honest, I think he might be slightly more clever than Lando. I don’t know how it’s all going to end, but drivers like him tend to make the most progress.”
Prost also reflected on the evolution of drivers, pointing out that talent alone isn’t enough to consistently succeed in Formula 1. “Some drivers who rely only on raw driving skill often hit a plateau. I don’t know Lando Norris well enough to judge him fairly, but honestly, in this championship, the best driver should win — and that’s all there is to it.”
Importantly, Prost made it clear that his preference for Oscar Piastri is not based on the fact that the Australian driver currently leads the drivers’ standings by eight points. Rather, it is Piastri’s composed, intelligent racecraft and calm decision-making under pressure that have impressed him most.
The McLaren Formula 1 team, meanwhile, has made it clear that they have no intention of imposing team orders between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The two young drivers are free to battle on track, even after a controversial incident earlier this season at the Canadian Grand Prix, where a collision — caused by a mistake from Lando Norris — resulted in the British driver’s retirement from the race.
Speaking at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, McLaren CEO Zak Brown reaffirmed the team’s philosophy: “The rules haven’t changed. They’re allowed to race each other hard, but they have to keep it clean and deliver as many points as possible for the team. After that, it’s up to them to determine who finishes ahead.”
Zak Brown also praised the dynamic between his two drivers: “I think the relationship they’ve built is excellent. We’ve put a lot of time into shaping this team and creating the right chemistry internally. We saw how they handled things in Canada. I see no reason why they can’t continue racing each other until the very end of the season. Naturally, both want to win, but given their personalities and their styles of racing, I believe they can remain great teammates throughout this championship fight.”
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