Oscar Piastri now leads all Formula One drivers in this incredible stat, following Max Verstappen’s crash at the Austrian Grand Prix.
It’s been a dream start to the Formula One season for the Aussie. He has by far the fastest car in the sport, leads the drivers’ championship over teammate Lando Norris, and he’s shown remarkable consistency from race to race.
| Position | Drivers' Championship | Points |
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | 216 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | 201 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | 155 |
| 4 | George Russell | 146 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 119 |
Even in Austria, where he was unable to hunt down Norris for the win, he came away from the weekend with a record that no driver in the sport can claim.
Oscar Piastri is the only F1 driver to have completed every lap this season
Verstappen’s DNF, which came after Kimi Antonelli’s reckless approach to turn three took both cars out of the race, means Piastri is the only driver to have completed every lap this season.
Piastri broke a McLaren record by finishing on the podium eight races in a row, and this record is yet more evidence of his remarkable consistency.
He has completed 714 laps, a testament to his persistence throughout the year. He could easily have not finished in the season opener, his home Grand Prix in Australia, having seemingly stranded himself on the wet grass.
Piastri managed to get himself going by putting in reverse and overtook Lewis Hamilton with one of the moves of the season to finish ninth. Those could be crucial points come the end of the year.
Piastri is one of the best drivers in F1, establishing himself among the sport’s elite this season.
This stat represents exactly what has separated Piastri from his teammate this season. Small mistakes have littered Norris’ season, and then a race-ending crash between the McLarens, where the Brit ran into the back of Piastri to end his own race.
That put Piastri in the driver’s seat for the Championship, and with 15 points separating them going into Silverstone, his consistency may prove the difference.
Oscar Piastri aims fiery radio message at Alpine after Austrian Grand Prix
Despite finishing second, a place up from his starting position, in Austria, Piastri was left rightly frustrated by his former team, Alpine, after the race.
As he was chasing down Norris in the dying laps, Alpine driver Franco Colapinto ran him onto the grass after turn three as Piastri was attempting to overtake the backmarker under blue flags.
“Alpine still find ways to “f— me over all these years later,” he said on the radio after the race.
The comment stems from a saga in 2022, which saw Piastri dramatically leave his former team, Alpine, for McLaren.
When Fernando Alonso, then an Alpine driver, unexpectedly announced he would be leaving Alpine to join Aston Martin for the 2023 season, Alpine quickly issued a press release announcing Piastri as their driver for the upcoming season.
Just hours after Alpine’s announcement, Piastri posted a tweet stating he never agreed to drive for them, and would not be replacing Alonso in 2023. It quickly became clear that Piastri had already signed a contract with McLaren.
Alpine insisted they had a valid contract with Piastri, leading to a legal dispute with the FIA. The ruling sided with McLaren, effectively freeing him from any obligation to Alpine.
It doesn’t seem like Piastri is over the dispute, and his distaste towards his former team was only strengthened after one of their drivers almost put him into a wall. Luckily he kept it on the road, and remains in control of the championship.