As Oscar Piastri scents the chance to add to the Australian laurels at the most storied F1 race of them all, the Monaco Grand Prix, his world title aspirations have been given a glowing recommendation from the great Lewis Hamilton.

Seven-time title winner Hamilton, who's been having a fairly tough baptism at Ferrari, revealed on Thursday how impressed he's been with championship leader Piastri's calm, collected early-season charge.

But recognising the "unimaginable pressure" he must be under in the McLaren hot seat, Hamilton said of Piastri: "He has been doing everything you need to do to win a world championship. I don't have any advice for him. Just to keep doing what he's doing."

Asked about the 24-year-old, who's this season won four races for McLaren, the British team where Hamilton won the first of his seven titles, the 40-year-old superstar said: "It's amazing to see them doing so well.

"And also to see them so close, him and Lando (Norris, who's just 13 points behind in the championship). The pressure on both of them will be unimaginable, for most people that have not experienced it.

"He (Piastri) has been doing everything you need to do to win a world championship. I don't have any advice for him. Just to keep doing what he's doing."

Piastri's three-race win streak was ended at Imola last weekend when, from pole, he was overtaken swashbucklingly by Max Verstappen on the outside of turn one.

It had been described as a reality check for him, but Piastri felt that was too harsh, even if it had been a reminder that not everything would be plain sailing this season.

"Maybe the Red Bull race pace was a bit of a surprise for us but the fact they were quick through the weekend wasn't," he said. "So we've got to keep working hard."

Piastri will now be looking to join the three other Australian winners in Monaco - the late, great Jack Brabham (1959), Piastri's now-manager Mark Webber (2010, 2012) and Daniel Ricciardo (2018).

"There's quite a lot of Australian history around this place," said Piastri. "It would be nice to add another chapter."

But it won't be easy, with his teammate Norris predicting Sunday's showdown around the famed street circuit will be "complicated" and that a surprise winner could emerge.

The FIA has opted to impose a mandatory minimum two pit stops in a bid to bring more entertainment to a race which has too often been a procession because it's nigh-on impossible to overtake.

"It's an opportunity, I think that's the biggest thing, that there is opportunity for everyone," said Norris.

"I think there can be more luck involved for anyone. It's easier to have probably a surprise winner this weekend, which is good and bad."

The McLaren pair had been among the drivers who'd attended Brad Pitt's new F1 movie in an exclusive pre-release screening in Monaco - and they declared it a success.

"Honestly, I enjoyed the whole thing," Williams driver Carlos Sainz said. "There were things that really surprised me. Not talking about the story, but the quality of footage they got. It's insane. Honestly insane. That's for me the best part of all of it."