Oscar Jack Piastri is a talented Australian racing driver who has made a name for himself in the motorsport world. He has recently joined McLaren as a driver for the 2023 Formula One World Championship. Before that, he served as the reserve driver for Alpine F1 Team and was also a part of the team’s driver academy.
Piastri’s success in the lower formulae is truly remarkable. He won the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup with R-ace GP and followed it up by winning the 2020 FIA Formula 3 Championship and the 2021 Formula 2 Championship with Prema Racing. He achieved a rare feat by becoming the sixth driver to win the GP2/Formula 2 Championship in their rookie season and the fifth driver to win the GP3/Formula 3 Championship and the GP2/Formula 2 Championship in consecutive seasons. His impressive performances have earned him the reputation of being one of the most promising young drivers in motorsport.
Born in Melbourne, Piastri’s journey in racing began with remote-controlled cars before he started karting in 2011. He turned professional in 2014 and competed in various Australian races and championships. The following year, he began competing in European and other CIK-FIA sanctioned karting championships with Ricky Flynn Motorsport. In 2016, he moved to the United Kingdom to further his racing career and finished sixth in the 2016 World Championship in Bahrain.
In early 2016, Piastri landed his first major sponsorship from HP Tuners, founded and owned by his father, which helped fund his racing career. This sponsorship was visible on his racing suit and car during the GP3 Series, F3, and F2 seasons. He made his single-seater debut in selected rounds of the Formula 4 UAE Championship with Dragon F4 later that year, claiming two podiums to finish sixth in the championship.
In 2017, Piastri joined the TRS Arden Junior Racing Team’s line-up for the British F4 championship. He impressed everyone with six wins and six pole positions, finishing as the runner-up to Jamie Caroline. In September 2022, Red Bull Racing principal Christian Horner revealed that he missed a chance to sign Piastri to their junior team during his Formula 4 years.
Who are Oscar Piastri parents?
Oscar Piastri’s parents, Chris Piastri and his wife Nicole Piastri have played a significant role in shaping his motorsports career. Chris Piastri introduced his son to go-karts at a young age and taught him the fundamentals of the sport. As Oscar’s talent began to emerge, Chris served as his son’s mechanic during his early years in racing.
Oscar’s mother also had a passion for driving, and she passed on her knowledge to her son, including teaching him how to use cruise control. Both parents have been his strongest supporters throughout his career, with Chris also founding and owning the organization HP Turners, which sponsored his son’s racing career. Despite Oscar’s success on the track, his parents keep him grounded and continue to provide unwavering support.