Oscar piastri

1. Who is Oscar Piastri?
2. Oscar Piastri's career in promotional formulas
3. Oscar Piastri’s Grand Prix journey (Formula 1)
4. AUTOhebdo's opinion on Piastri
5. Learn more about Oscar Piastri

1. Who is Oscar Piastri?

Oscar Piastri is an Australian driver born on April 6, 2001, currently a Formula 1 driver for McLaren after having been a reserve Alpine.

Oscar Piastri after a race in 2024 © DPPI

2. Oscar Piastri's career in promotional formulas

After his winter debut in Formula 4 UAE, where he reached the podium twice, Oscar Piastri completed his first year of single-seater racing in British F4. Within the TRS Arden Junior Team, the Australian finished vice-champion, behind Jamie Caroline despite 6 victories and as many pole positions. Still with Arden, the young man born in Melbourne takes the extra step to the Formula Renault Eurocup.

In a hotly contested championship in which Arden has never played a leading role, Piastri had a successful rookie season by signing three podiums and an encouraging 8th place in the championship. The following ? A hellish and uninterrupted march forward marked by a historic triptych with the championship titles in Formula Renault (2019), Formula 3 (2020) and Formula 2 (2021).

In 2019, first, Oscar signed for R-ace GP, the Vendée team which had just been champion with Max Fewtrell. Very consistent throughout the season, he got the better of Victor Martins, his fierce French opponent, whom he beat for 7,5 points during a high-tension final contested in Abu Dhabi. His title obtained in this championship organized by Renault allows him to join the Renault Sport Academy, and thus become part of the brand's fold.

For his year of Formula 3 (FIA F3), he joined the ranks of the dominant Prema team. Thanks to absolute consistency but without being excessively flamboyant, he won a new title under the nose of Théo Pourchaire, his French rival two years his junior. That year, Piastri did not sign a single pole, raising his arms twice for six podiums, which precisely allowed him to glean the title.

Oscar Piastri, winner of Formula 2 in his first year. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

Quite naturally, he remains with Prema in Formula 2 (FIA F2) and is associated with the best rookie of last season, Robert Shwartzman, who also happens to be his predecessor on the Formula 3 prize list.

To the consistency was added what he had lacked the year before: speed over a lap. Judge for yourself: the Aussie has taken five of the season's eight pole positions (the last five!) for five victories and eleven podiums. The ex-pilot Alpine flew through the debates despite his rookie status and even won with a 60,5 point lead.

3. Oscar Piastri’s Grand Prix journey (Formula 1)

Despite a meteoric trajectory and three titles gleaned in as many seasons, Oscar Piastri remains without a seat and is forced into the role of reserve driver. The Aussie may well be highly regarded by the brand with the A arrow, but he was barred by Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso, still under contract with Alpine.

Oscar Piastri is patient in 2022, as reserve driver at Alpine. © Julien Delfosse / DPPI

Propelled into the McLaren starting lineup to replace a disappointing Daniel Ricciardo, after a turbulent saga with Alpine, in 2023, Oscar Piastri made his Formula 1 debut in the shadow of an already established Lando Norris. The Australian rookie had to find his feet in the first half of the season. The improvements made to the MCL60 from the British Grand Prix onwards allowed him to score points more consistently and win the Sprint in Qatar followed by a solid second place in the race. The Australian impressed with his ability to learn quickly and exploit opportunities, laying the foundations for an even stronger 2024 season.

Oscar Piastri on board the MCL60 in 2023 © Florent Gooden / DPPI

For his second season, Oscar Piastri confirmed his full potential in a transformed single-seater. From the start of the year, he showed himself to be closer to Lando Norris in qualifying and in the race. Regularly in the Top 5, he took a further step by winning the Hungarian Grand Prix, exploiting a perfect strategy and faultless driving for his first victory. The Australian was able to demonstrate a real team spirit by respecting the instructions aimed at helping his teammate and by scoring valuable points throughout the season. He actively participated in McLaren's quest for the Constructors' title. With his fourth place in the Drivers' Championship, Piastri approaches 2025 with the potential necessary to stand up to the "Big Boys".

First race victory for Oscar Piastri in Hungary in 2024 © Eric Alonso / DPPi

4. AUTOhebdo's opinion on Piastri

Oscar Piastri has quite simply achieved the most impressive career in recent years in promotional formulas. The Aussie indeed won the three main titles in a row, without however being able to move directly into F1. Endowed with astonishing racing intelligence, Oscar Piastri has always been able to manage the strong and weak times of races, while knowing when to delay and when to attack.
During his year in F2, while he had until then experienced quite a bit of difficulty on one lap, last year he added speed in qualifying to his qualities by winning 5 of the 8 poles. Appointed reservist Alpine, the French manufacturer (unfortunately) let him go to McLaren at the end of an extra-sporting saga that animated the summer of 2022. In the space of two seasons, the Australian quickly demonstrated that he did not intend to be satisfied with a discreet team-mate role facing an experienced Lando Norris.
In 2024, Piastri increased his pace and gained momentum, displaying top-notch consistency and competitiveness. In direct competition with Norris, he demonstrated that he was now an essential pillar of McLaren. By respecting team instructions, Piastri did not play alone, which allowed McLaren to win the Constructors' Championship. With a fourth place in the drivers' standings, Piastri already established himself as a key driver, ready to measure himself against the big names in the field to aim for the title in the seasons to come.