Oscar Piastri, F1 driver

Piastri had a frustrating time in the opener in Bahrain, admitting to mistakes in qualifying that cost him a shot at Q2, and then suffering an electrical issue early in the race.
But in Jeddah he made Q3 and qualified ninth on a day when team-mate Lando Norris damaged his car early in Q1.
In the race both drivers were compromised by early stops for front wing damage. Piastri eventually ...

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Piastri damaged the right side of his wing when he touched Gasly's Alpine at the exit of Turn 2, and just a few hundred metres later debris flew off the Australian's car.
In a bizarre coincidence, his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris hit the debris from Piastri's car and also had to make an early stop.
Piastri had no option but to pit at the end of the first lap, while Norris initially ...

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McLaren looked good in Saturday’s FP3 session after overnight changes, with Lando Norris seventh and Piastri backing him up in eighth.
Norris’s qualifying session was ruined by contact with the wall in Q1 but Piastri made it through to Q3 and earned a solid ninth place.
That will translate into eighth on the final grid for his second F1 start thanks to a penalty for Charles ...

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The Australian became the first driver of the new season to retire from a race when he pulled up on lap 13 of 57 in Bahrain owing to a wiring loom issue that could not be solved by pitting for a new steering wheel.
Team-mate Lando Norris, meanwhile, had to pit six times to replenish the Mercedes-supplied engine pneumatic system, which developed a pressure leak. He eventually classified 17th ...

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Topflight debutant Piastri became the first driver of the new season to retire after attempts to rectify an electrical issue aboard his MCL60 by fitting a new steering wheel failed.
By staying out longer than rivals on his starting soft tyres, the Australian had risen to 12th when he pitted at the end of lap 12. But the ineffective reset forced his early bath.
Stella has revealed that the ...

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The Australian is making his F1 debut for McLaren at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and had his first proper run in the new MCL60 last week.
Although McLaren is facing some competitive struggles with its new car, that has not stopped Piastri from showing just what he is capable of.
In particular, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has cited the way in which Piastri made rapid progress in a series ...

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Stella says that the team will try not to focus initially on direct comparisons with Lando Norris, who is heading into his fifth year of F1.
Instead the team will concentrate on ensuring Piastri is as prepared as possible for the challenge of his first season at the top level.
“Let's say the way we set this topic up internally is not much in relation to Lando when it comes to Oscar, but ...

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Last summer, Piastri was at the centre of a tug-of-love between McLaren and Alpine, for which he served as reserve driver.
After Fernando Alonso’s move to Aston Martin was announced, Piastri was initially named by Alpine as replacement, but he quickly denied that was the case via social media, as he had already signed a deal with McLaren.
The Contract Recognition Board subsequently agreed ...

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Former Red Bull driver Webber is part of his younger countryman’s management team, along with his wife Ann Neal.
Together the couple helped to steer Piastri through the difficult period last year after he left the Alpine team in controversial circumstances.
The Contract Recognition Board subsequently confirmed that he was free to join McLaren.
“There's been a lot of advice from both ...

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In a launch event at its Woking factory, the team also presented new driver Oscar Piastri alongside established McLaren star Lando Norris, and Andrea Stella, who takes over as team principal following Andreas Seidl's departure to the Sauber-run Alfa Romeo squad at the end of 2022.
The MCL60 shown on Monday appears to be very much an evolution in terms of the aerodynamic concept begun with the ...

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Rookie Piastri replaces Daniel Ricciardo, who in stark contrast was in his 12th season last year, and carried with him the experience of scoring eight grand prix victories.
While Piastri has a lot to learn, Stella is confident that the team can look to Lando Norris as it hones the 2023 car.
"I think the important point is to have continuity with Lando, he keeps the kind of reference," said ...

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After two seasons where McLaren has enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere between Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, the arrival of Piastri looks set to deliver a very different dynamic at the team.
Piastri is at a very different stage in his career compared to Ricciardo, and will want to make a name for himself after being at the centre of a tug-of-war battle between McLaren and Alpine over his services for ...

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During the summer break Alpine intended for reserve driver Piastri to step into the seat left by Aston Martin-bound Fernando Alonso but was caught out by the Australian rookie signing a deal with McLaren to replace Daniel Ricciardo.
Amid the ensuing fallout F1's Contract Recognition Board ruled in Piastri's and McLaren's favour, Alpine has had to shop around for a ...

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Teams stayed on at the Yas Marina Circuit for Tuesday?s test, running from 9am to 6pm to give them a chance to complete some final runs with their 2022 cars.
Deals were struck for drivers to swap teams for the test, including two-time world champion Alonso, who appeared with Aston Martin for the first time ahead of his switch from Alpine in 2023.
Alonso was the first driver out of the pit ...

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The two teams have been discussing Piastri's contractual situation since he was announced as a 2023 McLaren driver in the summer.
Given the animosity surrounding Piastri's move to the Woking outfit, Alpine initially appeared reluctant to do anything that might help him get a head-start with his new team, with discussions dragging on for several weeks
However, the first sign that there had ...

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Piastri will race for McLaren next year after a contract saga over the summer saw Alpine claim it had a deal in place for him to race in 2023, only for the Contract Recognition Board to rule in McLaren's favour.
In the wake of losing the case, Alpine said it would review its existing relationship with Piastri which could have opened the door for him to join McLaren early.
But Piastri has ...

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McLaren's decision to swoop for Piastri earlier this summer helped trigger the exit of Ricciardo from the Woking-based squad, with his F1 future now uncertain.
That scenario could have led to a lot of awkwardness between the pair as their shared nationality added an extra edge to the driver market movements of the summer.
But in a bid to ensure that there was no chance of tensions emerging ...

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The Enstone-based squad has endured its fair share of headaches in recent weeks after finding out Fernando Alonso was switching to Aston Martin for 2023 and that reserve Oscar Piastri had signed for McLaren.
Their shock departures have left Alpine on the hunt for a new teammate for Esteban Ocon, with AlphaTauri?s Pierre Gasly still a firm favourite if a deal can be sorted with his current Red ...

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Last year's Formula 2 champion Piastri will make his F1 debut with McLaren next year after finding himself at the heart of a contract saga in recent weeks involving both McLaren and Alpine.
Piastri rose through the junior ranks as part of Alpine?s academy, but the team was found not to have a valid contract in place with him for an F1 drive in 2023.
The saga was the biggest talking point ...

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Piastri will race for McLaren next year after F1's Contract Recognition Board (CRB) ruled Alpine's claim it had an agreement in place with the Australian for next year was not correct.
Ahead of the CRB hearing, Alpine team boss Szafnauer said at Spa he was "very" confident Alpine would win the case, as well as questioning Piastri's integrity given all of Alpine's support for ...

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The remarkable series of events that resulted in Alonso jumping ship to Aston Martin and it eventually losing Piastri to McLaren after a Contract Recognition Board ruling, means it is now remains on the hunt for a second driver for next season.
But beyond the practicalities of it being back to square one in its quest for a teammate for Esteban Ocon for 2023, there is lingering disappointment ...

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Piastri produced one of the surprise moves of the F1 driver market silly season this summer when he signed for McLaren for next season.
This was despite the Alpine team, where he is reserve, thinking it had a firm deal with him for 2023 ? and even announcing him as replacement for Fernando Alonso.
The matter went all the way to F1?s Contract Recognition Board, with it eventually ruling ...

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Although ultimately it was a matter for F1?s Contract Recognition Board, and cost Alpine nearly ?540,000 in legal fees, it also included the situation descending at times into personal insults.
Piastri has faced accusations of lacking ?integrity? by Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer for turning his back on the squad that helped guide his career as part of its young driver Academy ...

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The McLaren driver is being replaced by Piastri for 2023, after the youngster was grabbed by the Woking-based squad from the grasps of Alpine.
Piastri's signing came ahead of McLaren agreeing on a contract termination with Ricciardo, meaning he would not see out the third and final year of his original deal.
The Piastri matter went all the way to F1's Contract Recognition Board and, amid the ...

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Paddock insiders have suggested that the ease with Piastri was able to walk away from Alpine after the team had invested heavily in bringing him through the ranks will discourage people from spending in the future.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff noted at Spa that ?it's important that junior programmes are being respected,? while RBR?s Christian Horner expressed similar sentiments, saying ...

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