Formula 1: Mark Webber labels Oscar Piastri’s win at Zandvoort ‘big day for Australian motorsport’

Oscar Piastri’s landmark victory in a dramatic Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday has been described as a “big day for Australian motorsport” by a former Aussie Formula One star.

The ice-cold Melbournian delivered his seventh win of the campaign to extend his record for most wins in a season by an Australian, leading from start to finish after starting on pole despite multiple restarts.

And with title rival and McLaren teammate Lando Norris’ day coming to a cruel end with engine failure only seven laps from the checkered flag while sitting second, Piastri now holds a 34-point lead in the Driver’s Championship.

But that is perhaps not the most remarkable feat of a day filled with crashes and frustrated drivers.

Piastri equalled West Australian favourite Daniel Ricciardo’s career Grands Prix mark with victory in Belgium ahead of the summer break, and his maiden win at Zandvoort has now tied him with his manager and former Red Bull driver Mark Webber.

Icons Jack Brabham, who tasted victory 14 times, and world champion Alan Jones, who notched 12 victories in his career, are the only Australians ahead of Piastri.

Webber was ecstatic for the 24-year-old when interviewed by Sky Sports post-race, proud of the career the young star was building for himself.

“Magnificent. He drove so well today,” Webber said.

“I don’t do many interviews about him, but I think today, big day for Australian motorsport. We’ve had Daniel (Ricciardo) win plenty, obviously Jack (Brabham) and AJ (Alan Jones).

“Oscar, now, having this success so early in his career, is a real credit to him. He’s put a huge amount of work in, executed beautifully, and the team have done such a good job as well.

“I’m happy. We’ve had a lot of banter between the two of us. We have had a lot of banter. But he’s on me now, and I’m very, very, very happy.

“I think he’s going to, hopefully, keep going.”

Piastri is in the box seat to become Australia’s first Formula One champion since Alan Jones in 1980, but the young gun remains remarkably level-headed and knows that with nine Grands Prix and three sprint races to come, there is plenty of hard work left to do.

“It feels good obviously, I controlled the race when I needed to, and obviously it was incredibly unfortunate for Lando at the end,” Piastri said.

“I felt like I was in control in that one and felt like I used the pace when I needed to, it was a bit of a different race to 12 months ago.

“I’m very happy with all the work I’ve done to try and improve around here and very satisfied to come out on top. We didn’t change anything special, just trying to improve everywhere we can.

“The start of this weekend was looking like a difficult one, and I managed to get it together in qualifying, and I was happy with the pace I had today.

“There were a couple of safety cars that spiced it up a little bit. I’m very proud of the whole team and it wasn’t just myself to improve to get here it was the whole team around me and without them, none of this is possible.”