Talent, emotional intelligence and a lifetime of sacrifice have made Piastri F1 title favorite

"Even in the aftermath of his recent wheel-to-wheel contact with Lando Norris at the Singapore Grand Prix -- an incident that could still have ramifications on the drivers' championship battle between the two McLaren teammates -- he was remarkably stoic as he faced the written press. With his McLaren overalls still drenched in sweat from 90 minutes of racing at one of Formula 1's most physically demanding events, Piastri resisted journalists' attempts to turn up the heat on his simmering emotions."

"Asked if the collision, which was a result of Norris attempting to pass Piastri on the inside in the opening three corners, would change the way he races his teammate going forward, his single-word response was completely void of emotion. "No." OK, understandable, but how about this: Was he at all concerned that Norris, who was not reprimanded by McLaren for the contact as per the team's internal rules, might be getting preferential treatment? "No," again without so much as a quiver in his voice."

"So measured was each response that it was impossible to gauge Piastri's true thoughts. Over team radio during the race, he had quite clearly raised his objections to Norris' move, but when given the opportunity to twist the knife in front of the world's media, he declined. It's a personality trait that is as compelling as it is disarming. It speaks to a level of maturity belying Piastri's 24 years -- just three of which have been spent racing in F1 -- but should not be confused with indifference."

Oscar Piastri remained stoic and measured in post-race media appearances after wheel-to-wheel contact with teammate Lando Norris at the Singapore Grand Prix. The collision occurred when Norris attempted an inside pass in the opening three corners, and the incident could still affect the drivers' championship battle between the McLaren teammates. Piastri repeatedly answered journalists' questions with blunt "No" replies when asked whether the crash would change his racing approach, whether Norris received preferential treatment, or whether team impartiality would be compromised. Piastri protested Norris' move over team radio during the race but declined to escalate matters publicly, demonstrating notable maturity for a 24-year-old with three seasons in F1.

Read at ESPN.com