Bernie Ecclestone reveals surprising contender to succeed Max Verstappen as F1 champion

Max Verstappen is not only the reigning champion of the last three Formula 1 seasons but also leads the current standings in the sport’s premier category. Despite facing some ups and downs, he is well on his way to clinching another title, with Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc being second and third, respectively.

In this context, Bernie Ecclestone, a legendary figure in the Formula 1 world, weighed in on the present state of the sport, as well as Verstappen‘s prospects and potential successors. “Without a doubt, Oscar Piastri will become a world champion in the next two seasons. If his car continues to perform well, he will achieve it. He stands out above the rest,” he said about the McLaren driver.

“Piastri is a magical talent,” Ecclestone added, highlighting the 23-year-old Australian driver’s impressive season with McLaren, in which he races alongside his partner Norris. The team is a contender for the constructors’ championship, with Piastri being in fourth place in the standings.

Oscar Piastri (Lars Baron/Getty Images)

At 93 years old, Ecclestone is regarded as on e of the most influential figures in F1 history, having served as president of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration from their inception until 2014.

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Piastri’s contract saga continues

Otmar Szafnauer has distanced himself from the 2022 contract controversy involving Oscar Piastri at Alpine, claiming his image was used in a team press release to “deflect the incompetence” of others.

The saga began when Alpine announced Piastri as their driver for the upcoming season, following Fernando Alonso’s departure to Aston Martin. However, just two hours later, Piastri posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he would not be racing for Alpine, stating that the announcement was made without his permission. It was later revealed that Piastri had signed with McLaren.

The Contract Recognition Board (CRB) ruled that McLaren’s contract with Piastri, signed in July, was valid, leading Alpine to sign Pierre Gasly as Esteban Ocon’s teammate.

Oscar Piastri of McLaren (Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Szafnauer remarked, “The communications department that didn’t report to me thought it was a good idea to deflect the incompetence of those that were Alpine at the time by putting my picture on the release.”

He confronted the team member responsible for the communication, he believes the incident “just showed at the time that there were some people within the Alpine organization that were untrustworthy and that were out to get me, so they weren’t working with me.”