Martin Brundle pinpoints what could pay “big dividends” for Oscar Piastri’s F1 title bid

F1 commentator Martin Brundle praised Oscar Piastri for having a “calm head” during the Belgian Grand Prix.

Piastri returned to winning ways at Spa-Francorchamps to extend his F1 championship lead to 16 points.

The Australian overtook Lando Norris on Lap 5 - the first lap of racing after the delays - after getting a run on Norris on the long run down to Les Combes.

Piastri controlled the race from the front of the field, building a nine-second lead, as he benefitted from stopping for dry tyres before Norris.

Piastri was on the medium tyre and was forced to look after his tyres due to the likely threat Norris, who was on the harder rubber, would pose at the end of the race.

During the race, Sky’s F1 commentary duo lauded Piastri.

David Croft said: “He’s solid, he’s impenetrable sometimes Oscar Piastri. He doesn’t get too flustered or excited or too down and depressed.”

Brundle then added: “That calm head of his, when it comes down to the championship showdown, is going to pay such big dividends for him.”

Errors cost Norris

Several errors thwarted Norris’ late-race charge.

Norris ran wide twice at La Source (Turn 1). 

He also had a moment at the fast, high-speed left-hander of Pouhon.

These mistakes meant Norris lost around three to four seconds in lap time.

Speaking on F1 TV, Alex Brundle explained why Piastri deserved additional credit for his race pace on the mediums.

“What Piastri did so brilliantly is having enough pace while managing that medium tyre at the end of the race to force Lando to push,” Alex Brundle said.

“They look like unforced errors while he’s driving around the race track trying to catch him, but he had to have that amount of pace if he wanted to make it to Piastri at the end.

“The pit stop for Lando was slow on the hard tyre, so he lost a second there, another second on the outside of Pouhon.

“So when he looks back at all the seconds lost, remembering that you need to get within a second to use DRS and that helps you to make the overtake, I think it was on the table for Lando.”