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Oscar Piastri has received a significant vote of confidence from his McClaren bosses, despite his debut drive lasting just 13 laps.

The Australian was forced to retire his car at the Bahrain Grand Prix before he was forced to retire, making it a debut to forget for the 21-year-old.

Though Piastri was still showered in praise after the race, with his Mercedes bosses feeling that it is only a matter of time before the prospect can show his worth on the track.

Team principal Andrea Stella explained: “What impresses us is his awareness of his opportunities while driving. He could come back and make comments like, ‘I think I braked a little too early in corner one, I didn’t go on throttle early enough in four’. And then you look at the data, and it is exactly it.

“So, his awareness of the performance opportunities, that’s the first point. And then he goes out for the second run, and he cashes in these opportunities. For me, this is a definition of talent. We see a lot of it. And we are also pleased with the improvement we have seen it day-by-day over the test.

“I think in terms of the opportunity, overall, F1 is a very, very competitive game, so he just has to go through his own trajectory. And I’m sure the final destination will be as one of the best drivers on the grid.”