Formula 1 News: Verstappen the GOAT, Piastri a Title Threat – But Zak Brown? ‘Not Very Talented’ – Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone (pictured), the 94-year-old former F1 supremo whose empire shaped the sport for decades, isn’t mincing words on the 2025 grid. In a fresh exclusive with sport.de, the Briton crowned McLaren’s Oscar Piastri as the second-best driver behind only Max Verstappen – and backed the Aussie rookie to snatch this year’s championship.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Piastri’s secret sauce, per Ecclestone? A rare maturity that turns slip-ups into stepping stones. “He gets the job done,” the nonagenarian gushed. “When he makes mistakes, he knows he’s made them and doesn’t blame others or come up with excuses. He makes sure he doesn’t repeat them. He doesn’t make them twice.”

It’s high praise from a man who’s seen it all, and it echoes Ecclestone’s early fandom for the 23-year-old. Back in a September 2023 Daily Mail chat, he confessed: “If I were a team owner, I think I’d get hold of the Australian kid.” That foresight now places Piastri in elite company – right behind Ecclestone’s ultimate pick for greatness.

“Max is the best driver ever. No doubts,” Ecclestone declared in the same 2023 interview. [Greatest of All-Time – GOAT]

“I used to say Alain Prost. Now I would say Max. He’s the greatest. He is the brightest with regard to getting the best out of the car. He doesn’t muck around.”

Ecclestone’s sport.de sit-down doubled down on the McLaren magic, crediting the Norris-Piastri pairing for striking gold in timing. “They’re lucky because they’re in the right team at the right time,” he noted. Not every talent gets that shot: “There have certainly been some drivers who were better than today’s drivers, but who never had the chance to show their strengths to anyone.”

And while Ecclestone lauded McLaren CEO Zak Brown’s leadership – “He’s doing a very good job” – he couldn’t resist a cheeky jab at the American’s self-made myth. “I said recently, because I’ve known him for a long time: ‘I don’t think you’re very talented, but one of your talents is that you choose the right people to work for you.'” Ouch—but effective, as McLaren’s resurgence proves.

With the 2025 title fight heating up, Ecclestone’s endorsements could fuel Piastri’s fire. In a sport where legends like Bernie still call the shots from the sidelines, his word carries weight. Verstappen reigns supreme, but Piastri? He’s the one to watch.