Oscar Piastri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oscar Piastri
Piastri at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix
Born	Oscar Jack Piastri (2001-04-06) 6 April 2001 (age 25) Melbourne, Australia
Awards	Full list
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Australian
Car number	81
Entries	51 (51 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	5
Podiums	14
Career points	488
Pole positions	2
Fastest laps	4
First entry	2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
First win	2024 Hungarian Grand Prix
Last win	2025 Dutch Grand Prix
Last entry	2025 Singapore Grand Prix
2025 position	3rd (410 pts)
Championship titles
FIA Formula 2 FIA Formula 3 Formula Renault Eurocup
Signature

Oscar Jack Piastri (pronounced pee-AST-ree), born on April 6, 2001, is an Australian racing driver. He competes in Formula One for the McLaren team. Oscar Piastri has won five Formula One Grands Prix across four seasons.

Oscar started his racing journey in Melbourne, Australia. He first raced radio-controlled cars before moving to karting at age 10. He won several local championships in karting. In 2016, he began racing in junior categories. He won his first championship in the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup. After that, he won the FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2 championships in a row. He is the only driver to win Formula Renault, Formula 3, and Formula 2 championships in successive seasons.

Oscar joined McLaren in 2023 to race alongside Lando Norris. This happened after a disagreement about his racing team for 2023. He made his Formula One debut at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. In his first season, he achieved his first podium finish at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. In 2024, Oscar won his first Formula One race in Hungary. He won again in Azerbaijan, becoming the fifth Australian to win a Formula One Grand Prix. In 2025, he secured seven more victories and his first pole position at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. He finished third in the championship that year.

As of August 2026, Oscar Piastri has achieved five race wins, two pole positions, four fastest laps, and 14 podiums in Formula One. He is signed to race with McLaren until at least the end of the 2028 season.

Oscar's Early Life and Racing Start

Piastri was sponsored by his father's company, HP Tuners, during his early racing career.

Oscar Jack Piastri was born in Melbourne on April 6, 2001. His father, Chris Piastri, owned an automotive software company called HP Tuners. This company helped sponsor Oscar's early racing career. His mother, Nicole Piastri, raised him and his three younger sisters in Brighton.

Oscar's father bought him a radio-controlled car when he was six. He started racing it in his backyard. At age nine, Oscar began competitive racing with Remote Control Racing Australia. He won a national championship before moving into kart racing.

When he was 14, Oscar moved to England with his father to continue his racing career in Europe. He attended a boarding school there on a sports scholarship. By the end of 2015, Oscar was traveling across Europe for karting tests and competitions. In 2019, former Grand Prix winner Mark Webber and his wife, Ann, began to support Oscar. Mark Webber has been Oscar's manager ever since.

Oscar's Junior Racing Journey

Karting Success (2011–2016)

After his success in radio-controlled racing, Oscar started kart racing in 2011. He was 10 years old. He raced at the local Oakleigh Go Kart Racing Club in Australia. In 2013, he won his first title, the CIK Stars of Karting in the Rookies class.

In 2014, he won several more championships in Australia. These included the OGKRC Championship and the City of Melbourne Titles. He also finished third in an international competition in France. He ended his national karting career with more wins in 2015.

In 2015, Oscar moved to Europe to compete internationally. He joined the Kosmic team. In 2016, he raced with Ricky Flynn Motorsport. He finished well in several European championships, including sixth in the World Championship in Bahrain.

Formula 4 Racing (2016–2017)

Oscar made his debut in junior formulae in the 2016–17 Formula 4 UAE Championship. He raced with Dragon F4 and achieved two podium finishes.

In 2017, Oscar moved to the F4 British Championship with the Arden team. He won his first F4 race at Oulton Park. He secured six victories and 15 podiums that season. Oscar finished as the runner-up in the championship. He learned a lot from his mistakes in F4, which helped him grow as a driver.

Piastri finished runner-up in his first British F4 season.

Formula Renault 2.0 Championships (2017–2019)

Oscar also raced in the Formula Renault Northern European Cup in 2017. He finished eighth in both races he entered.

In 2018, Oscar competed in the Formula Renault Eurocup with Arden. He achieved his first podium finish at Spa-Francorchamps. He finished the season with three podiums and placed eighth overall.

In Formula Renault 2.0, Piastri earned three podiums during his Eurocup season in 2018.

In 2019, Oscar joined the R-ace GP team. He won his first race from pole position at Silverstone. He continued to win, taking both races at the Nürburgring. Oscar won his first junior championship by 7.5 points. This was a big step towards his Formula One dream.

Piastri won the Eurocup in 2019, his first junior championship.

FIA Formula 3 Champion (2020)

In 2020, Oscar joined the Prema Racing team for the FIA Formula 3 Championship. He won his debut race in Austria. He continued to perform well, securing two victories and six podiums.

Oscar won the FIA Formula 3 Championship by a narrow margin of three points. His improved racecraft helped him handle the tough competition. After this success, he became a test driver for the Renault Formula One team.

FIA Formula 2 Champion (2021)

In 2021, Piastri won the FIA Formula 2 Championship in his first season with Prema.

Oscar continued with Prema Racing for his 2021 season in FIA Formula 2. He won his first race in the second sprint race in Bahrain. He then took his first pole position at Silverstone.

Oscar won the FIA Formula 2 Championship in his rookie season. He achieved six wins, 11 podiums, and five pole positions. He was the sixth driver in history to win the GP2/F2 title in their first season. He was also the first to win Formula Renault, Formula 3, and Formula 2 championships in a row. Oscar was named FIA Rookie of the Year for his amazing performance in 2021.

Oscar's Formula One Career

Renault / Alpine Test Driver (2020–2022)

In January 2020, Oscar joined the Renault Sport Academy. He completed his first test with Renault after winning the FIA Formula 3 Championship. He continued as a test driver for the re-branded Alpine Academy in 2021.

After winning the FIA Formula 2 title, Oscar became a reserve driver for Alpine in 2022. He also had an agreement to be available for McLaren. He completed many private tests to prepare for Formula One.

Joining McLaren in 2023

Alpine announced Piastri would drive for them in 2022, but he later joined McLaren after a disagreement.

In 2022, there was a disagreement about which team Oscar would race for in 2023. Alpine announced that Oscar would be their driver, but Oscar quickly stated he had not signed with them. It was later confirmed that Oscar had signed with McLaren. He joined McLaren to race alongside Lando Norris.

Racing with McLaren (2023–Present)

2023: Rookie Season and First Podium

Piastri debuted in Formula One with McLaren in 2023.

Oscar started his Formula One career with McLaren in 2023. He made his debut at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. His first points came at his home race, the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, where he finished eighth.

At the 2023 British Grand Prix, major car upgrades helped him qualify third and finish fourth. He achieved his first Formula One podium at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, finishing third. This made him the first rookie since 2017 to get a podium. He also won his first sprint race at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. Oscar finished his rookie season ninth in the championship with 97 points. McLaren extended his contract until at least the end of 2026.

2024: First Grand Prix Wins

Piastri raced in 2024 as McLaren became strong competitors against Red Bull.

Oscar continued with McLaren in 2024. McLaren became strong challengers to Red Bull Racing. At the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, Oscar took his first Formula One victory. He became the fifth Australian to win a Grand Prix.

He finished second at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. Oscar then won again at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a close battle. He finished the season fourth in the World Drivers' Championship with 292 points. His performance helped McLaren win their first World Constructors' Championship since 1998.

Piastri took two victories as McLaren won the World Constructors' Championship in 2024.

2025: A Close Championship Battle

Piastri was a favorite for the 2025 World Drivers' Championship.

McLaren started 2025 as strong contenders for the championship. Oscar signed a contract extension until at least the end of 2028. He took his first pole position and victory of the season at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. He then won the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix and the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. This made him the first Australian to lead the World Drivers' Championship since 2010.

Oscar won the 2025 Miami Grand Prix and the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix. He had a close championship battle with his teammate Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. He won the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix and the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix. At the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Oscar finished second. He ended the season third in the standings, 13 points behind champion Lando Norris. Oscar achieved seven victories and 16 podiums, setting new records for an Australian driver.

A title battle between Piastri and teammate Lando Norris was a highlight of the Austrian Grand Prix Grand Prix.

2026: New Regulations and Challenges

Oscar continued with McLaren for the 2026 season, which brought new car regulations. He qualified fifth for his home race in Australia but could not start due to an engine issue. At the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, he scored points in the sprint race. He again faced issues before the main race, preventing him from starting.

He finished second at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix. At the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, Oscar placed second in the sprint and third in the main race. He finished fourth in the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix sprint. In Europe, he finished fifth at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix and 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. At the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, Oscar led for several laps but had to retire due to a gearbox problem after a collision.

Oscar's Driver Profile

Calmness Under Pressure

Piastri has been praised for staying calm during races.

Oscar Piastri is known for his calm and composed attitude, even when racing under pressure. Many drivers and experts have noticed this quality. Journalists have compared his "relaxed intensity" to that of other top drivers.

After winning the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, one journalist noted that "stress isn't an emotion one would associate with Piastri." His calm nature has led some to compare him to legendary drivers like Alain Prost and Kimi Räikkönen, known as the Iceman. His teammate, Lando Norris, described him as "the cerebral assassin" because he races like he's solving a complex puzzle at high speed.

Learning and Improving

Piastri has shown great improvement in his racing skills each season.

Oscar is also praised for how quickly he adapts and learns. His race engineer, Tom Stallard, said Oscar can spot problems during a race and fix them without needing to check data later. He learned from his mistakes early in his career.

His first Formula One season in 2023 was "very impressive." He worked on improving his tyre management. In 2024, he showed great improvement in his race pace, leading to his first wins. By 2025, experts believed he had overcome his earlier challenges with tyre management and qualifying speed. He worked closely with his engineers and studied his past races to get better.

Oscar's Personal Life

Piastri with fans at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix

Outside of racing, Oscar enjoys playing video games, especially Call of Duty, and cooking. He chose the number 81 as his personal driver number in Formula One. This number came from his karting days. His racing helmet design also comes from his karting career, featuring red, blue, and fluorescent yellow colors.

He supports the Australian rules football team Richmond. Oscar also enjoys cricket and supports the Australia national team. He even hosted the Australian cricket team at the McLaren Technology Centre.

Since 2018, Oscar has been in a relationship with Lily Zneimer, his childhood sweetheart. He met her while studying in England. He lived near the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking for a while. In 2024, he moved to Monte Carlo.

Awards and Honours

Piastri's Grand Prix–winning cars from top-to-bottom: MCL38 (2024) and MCL39 (2025)

Formula One Awards

• FIA Rookie of the Year: 2023
• Lorenzo Bandini Trophy: 2025

Other Racing Awards

• Joe Tandy Memorial Trophy: 2017
• Autosport Awards Rookie of the Year: 2020, 2021, 2023
• Sir Jack Brabham Award: 2020, 2021, 2024
• FIA Rookie of the Year: 2021
• Anthoine Hubert Award: 2021
• Victorian Sports Awards Young Athlete of the Year: 2021
• Best Driver ESPY Award nominee: 2025
• The Don Award: 2025

Racing Career Summary

^† As Piastri was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

See also

In Spanish: Oscar Piastri para niños