Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri was born to Chris Piastri and Nicole Piastri in Melbourne, Australia, on 6 April 2001. He made his F1 debut racing for McLaren in the 2023 Formula One Championship. Having begun karting as a ten-year-old, he competed in European karting competitions. In 2016, he started competing in Formula 4 championships.

Karting

Oscar Piastri was racing remote cars on the national level before he took to karting in 2011. His father, being a racing enthusiast, used to ferry him to and fro to his race venues. Until 2014 he took part in national championships in Australia. Piastri began competing in European and other CIK-FIA karting championships with Ricky Flynn Motorsport the next year. He moved to London in 2016 and finished sixth in the 2016 World Championship in Bahrain.

Formula 4

2016

HP Tuners, a company owned by Piastri’s father, sponsored Piastri in 2016. The company helped fund Piastri’s racing career. HP Tuner’s logo was displayed on Piastri’s racing suit and car when competing in GP3, Series, F3 and F2 seasons. Piastri competed in select rounds of the 2016 Formula 4 UAE Championship winning two podiums and finishing sixth in the championship.

2017

TRS Arden Junior Racing Team contracted Piastri in 2017 as a part of its team for the British F4 Championship. Winning six races and finishing in the pole position, Piastri finished runner-up in the championship to Jamie Caroline. Christian Homer, the Principal of Red Bull Racing, was impressed and revealed how he missed a chance to recruit Piastri to their junior team during his Formula 4 years.

GP3 Series

Piastri took part in the post-season GP3 test at Yas Marina with Trident in December 2018.

Formula Renault Eurocup

2018

Piastri joined Arden in 2018 and made his debut in Formula Renault Eurocup Championship. He claimed three podium finishes, the highest being second at second race at Hockenheim. That season he finished ninth in the championship.

2019

In December 2018, Piastri switched his allegiance to R-ace GP. It was announced that he would race for R-ace GP for the 2019 championship. His first two series victories came at Silverstone. Winning at Francorchamps, he became the first driver to claim three wins that year. A couple of wins at the season-ending round at Yas Marina earned him the championship.

FIA Formula 3 Championship

Piastri, in October 2019, took a post-season test with Prema Racing in a bid to race in Formula 3 in the upcoming season. In January, Prema Racing signed Piastri to race alongside Logan Sargeant and Fredrik Vesti.

On his debut, Piastri was placed third on the starting grid at the Red Bull Ring. Despite a collision with Sebastián Fernández, he escaped damage and went on to win the race. He took three consecutive second-place finishes at Hungaroring and the feature race at Silverstone before a stuck open DRS forced him to withdraw in the sprint race. Sargeant grabbed the lead of the championship from Piastri in the second feature race at Silverstone when Piastri was struggling with reliability issues. Piastri claimed his second win in Barcelona, where he started fifth in the sprint but took the lead in the first lap and held on to it. Piastri regained the championship lead, finishing fifth in the feature race, but lost it in the sprint race as he was penalised for illegal overtaking.

Piastri was penalized at Monza and started 15th for the feature race. Yet he took third place in the race to reclaim the championship lead. He retired from the sprint due to a collision but was penalised 5 points but still maintained his championship lead as his teammates had a collision.

At the Mugello Circuit, Piastri finished 11th in the feature race as Sargeant finished sixth leaving both drivers tied at 160 points in the championship. In the sprint race, Sargeant started six places ahead of Piastri but was eliminated due to a collision. The championship was there for the taking and Piastri gleefully took it.

Formula 2 Championship

In 2020, a departing Mick Schumacher made way for Piastri to race with Robert Shwartzman at Prema Racing in the 2021Formula 2 Championship season. Piastri ended his debut race in fifth position to earn his first championship points. In the second, he started in sixth position but overtook several cars to sit in second place. He overtook Zhou Guanyu of Alpine in the last lap to win the race, earning his first Formula 2 win. Piastri started the feature race in eighth place but overtook several cars to take the lead in lap 13. However, he was forced to retire after making contact and spinning with two laps to go. Two consecutive second places at the Monaco round ensured Piastri of second place in the championship standings behind Zhou.

Piastri retired in the sprint race in Baku but finished the second feature race in second place. A pole position at Silverstone and a sixth-place finish in the second sprint ensured him the lead in the championship. A feature race win at Monza, Piastri’s first of the season, a pole position, another win and pole at Sochi, consolidated his championship lead. Finishing first in the second sprint in Jeddah and leading when the feature race was called off, Piastri became only the second driver to win twice on the same day that season. A win in the first race at Yas Marina ensured that Piastri became only the third driver to win the Formula 2 Championship in his debut season. A win in the feature race meant that he was the only driver to win six races that season.

FIA Formula One

Piastri joined Renault Sports Academy in January 2020. He drove a Renault R.S.18 in his first Formula One test with the Renault F1 Team at the Bahrain International Circuit. Being a part of the Alpine Academy, he also drove an Alpine 521 in the post-season young drivers’ test at the Yas Marina Circuit in December 2021.

Following his Formula 2 Championship win, Alpine F1 Team designated the Australian as a reserve driver for the 2022 season. Following an agreement between the two teams, McLaren also shared Piastri as a reserve driver with the Alpine F1 Team. Piastri participated in Alpine testing sessions throughout the season. He also participated in a two-day testing session in a previous-spec McLaren car at Circuit Paul Ricard. Piastri was ready to compete in Formula One.

Contract dispute and resolution

There was a June 22 report stating that Piastri would race for Williams in 2023. Alpine was expected to retain Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. Alonso left Alpine in a lurch in August when he announced that he was going to replace Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin. Alpine promptly announced that Piastri would take the place of Alonso. Piastri disputed the claim in a Twitter quote saying that he had no signed contract with Alpine. The Alpine team principal, Otmar Szafnauer, thereupon questioned Piastri’s “integrity as a human being” and threatened to take the contract matters to court.

FIA’s Contract Recognition Board (CRB) commenced hearing on 29 August 22. The purpose was to determine whether Piastri was contracted to Alpine or was free to join another team of his choice for the 2023 season. The CRB ruled in Piastri’s favour prior to the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix, leaving him free to join any team of his choice. Piastri’s move to McLaren was confirmed shortly afterwards. Piastri later said a “breakdown in trust” between him and Alpine led him to leave the team.

McLaren (2023 – )

Oscar Piastri’s 2023 Formula 1 season marked his rookie year in the pinnacle of motorsport, driving for McLaren alongside Lando Norris. His debut season was characterized by significant milestones, challenges, and a promising display of talent that hinted at a bright future in the sport.

2023 Season Overview

Piastri’s transition to Formula 1 began with an early move to McLaren, facilitated by Alpine’s agreement to end his contract early, allowing him to join post-season testing after the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix showed promise, running as high as 8th before retiring due to a car failure after a steering wheel change.

Key Highlights and Results

• Australian Grand Prix: Piastri scored his first points in Formula 1 at his home race, finishing in eighth place, showcasing his potential and resilience in a chaotic race.
• Monaco Grand Prix: Another points finish for Piastri, coming in 10th place, one position behind teammate Norris, demonstrated his adaptability to the challenging street circuit.
• British Grand Prix: With McLaren introducing new car upgrades, Piastri qualified an impressive third. He maintained a strong pace in the race, ultimately finishing 4th, less than a second behind Lewis Hamilton, marking his career-best finish at that point.
• Hungarian Grand Prix: Piastri continued to show his competitive edge, finishing 5th after running as high as second before the first round of pit stops.
• Belgian Grand Prix: A standout moment for Piastri came during the sprint, where he led a Formula One race for the first time in his career. Despite finishing second in the sprint, his performance underscored his racing prowess.
• Japanese Grand Prix: Piastri achieved his first podium finish in Formula One, finishing third behind Norris, in what was McLaren’s first double podium of the season and a significant milestone for Piastri as a rookie.
• Qatar Grand Prix: Piastri claimed his first sprint race win and followed it up with a second-place finish in the main race, securing back-to-back Driver of the Day awards and his best finish in Formula One.

Challenges

Piastri’s rookie season was not without its challenges, including retirements and on-track incidents that tested his resilience and adaptability. Notably, his retirement at the Belgian Grand Prix and the early setback in Bahrain highlighted the steep learning curve faced by rookies in Formula 1.

Season Conclusion

Oscar Piastri’s 2023 season was a remarkable journey of growth, learning, and achievement. His performances, particularly in the latter half of the season, demonstrated not only his raw speed and talent but also his ability to quickly adapt to Formula 1’s demands. With a contract extension keeping him at McLaren until the end of 2026, Piastri’s rookie season laid a solid foundation for what promises to be an exciting career in Formula 1. His achievements, including leading a race, securing podium finishes, and consistently challenging his more experienced teammate, mark him as a driver to watch in the coming years.

How much does Oscar Piastri make?

Oscar Piastri’s annual salary at McLaren is estimated to be $2 million USD. However, salaries can vary based on performance, contract negotiations, and other factors, so this figure may change in the future.

What does Oscar Piastri parents do?

Oscar Piastri’s father, Chris Piastri, is a successful businessman who has provided substantial support for Oscar’s racing career. His mother, Nicole Piastri, is known to travel with her son for his racing events, but her specific occupation is not publicly detailed. The support from his parents has been instrumental in his progression through the motorsport ranks.

How is Mark Webber related to Oscar Piastri?

Mark Webber is not related to Oscar Piastri by family, but he is Piastri’s manager and mentor. Webber has been instrumental in guiding Piastri’s career through the junior formulas and into Formula 1, and he represents Piastri’s commercial interests through his management company, JAM Sports Management (Wikipedia: Mark Webber (racing driver)).

How did Oscar Piastri get into racing?

Oscar Piastri’s racing career began in karting in 2011 when he started competing in Australia. He then progressed through the ranks, moving to Europe in 2015 to pursue his racing career further. His talent and success in karting and junior formulas paved the way for his entry into higher levels of motorsport, including Formula 3 and Formula 2, before ultimately reaching Formula 1.

Why did Oscar Piastri choose 81?

Oscar Piastri chose the number 81 for his Formula 1 race number because it was the first number he raced with when he started his karting career in Australia. He has used the number sporadically throughout his junior career, and when he made his debut in Formula 1 with McLaren, he decided to use it as his permanent race number.