Alain Prost makes surprise claim he “pushed” for a top F1 driver to get a break

Alain Prost claims he helped Oscar Piastri on his path into Formula 1.

McLaren driver Piastri has emerged as the standout performer of the 2025 season so far, racking up five wins from the first 12 races to lead the drivers’ championship.

While his more experienced teammate Lando Norris has made critical errors at key junctures, Piastri has earned plaudits for his consistency at the front and a lack of any discernible weaknesses.

F1 legend Prost followed Piastri during his time as Renault’s advisor and played an instrumental role in convincing the team to sign him to its driver academy.

Alain Prost makes intriguing Oscar Piastri comparison

The four-time world champion said he is particularly impressed by Piastri’s calculated driving style and praised his intelligence in wheel-to-wheel battles.

“I know Oscar much better because I was the one who pushed Renault to bring him into the academy a long time ago. They didn’t want to [sign him],” the 70-year-old revealed.

“I saw him driving like in Formula 3 or even before, and then Formula 2. I like the way he behaves. A little bit like me thinking about when to do the right maneuver for overtaking and being a little bit more clever. I like him.

“You never know what's going to happen but these types of drivers can make a progression. If it’s only the driving skill, sometimes they are in a plateau.

“I didn't do a mistake [in hiring him]. I don't know Lando very much but honestly for this kind of championship, the best should win and that's it.”

McLaren faces a tough task managing both Piastri and Norris in the 2025 season, given their varying levels of experience and the intensity of the title fight.

Tensions have already boiled over, with the pair colliding at the Canadian Grand Prix last month.

While Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and George Russell (Mercedes) have both taken race wins, McLaren has yet to face a consistent challenge to its dominance in the title race.

Prost believes the Woking-based squad has a big enough advantage over its rivals that it doesn’t need to impose team orders to back any one driver in the championship.

“The championship is very difficult when two drivers are fighting for the title but if they have enough advantage over other teams and drivers, they are going to let them drive and fight, which is the best for the sport,” he said.

“If it's getting closer and one driver or team is much closer, then it's going to become more difficult. But it doesn't look like that is going to be the case.

“When I was fighting with Ayrton [Senna], we almost won all the races in 88. Honestly, we didn't care at all about other drivers or other teams but when you are fighting, you remember ‘86?

“I won the championship in ‘86 because [Williams drivers] Nigel [Mansell] and Nelson [Piquet] were fighting and sharing points and my car was very less competitive.

“Because of the work of the team [McLaren], the coercion in the team, we had a fantastic year in ‘86, and that is my best championship and the best for the team altogether.

“So to answer your question, I don't think [McLaren] will have this problem [in 2025].”