History of Oscar Piastri in Timeline
Oscar Piastri is an Australian race car driver who competes in Formula One for the McLaren team.
April 2001: Birth of Oscar Piastri
Oscar Jack Piastri was born in April 2001 in Melbourne, Australia.
2011: Start of Karting Career
Oscar Piastri began his karting career in 2011, following a period of racing remote-controlled cars at a national level. This marked the beginning of his journey in competitive motorsport.
2011: McLaren's first Constructors' Championship lead since 2011.
Piastri's victory in Azerbaijan, combined with teammate Lando Norris's fourth-place finish, propelled McLaren to the lead of the Constructors' Championship for the first time since 2011.
2014: Professional Karting Debut
In 2014, Piastri turned professional in karting, competing in various Australian races and championships. This step demonstrated his commitment to pursuing a career in motorsport.
2016: First Major Sponsorship and Single-Seater Debut
Piastri secured his first major sponsorship from HP Tuners, a company founded by his father, in 2016. He also made his debut in single-seater racing, competing in selected rounds of the Formula 4 UAE Championship.
2016: Piastri's Transition to Junior Formula
In 2016, Oscar Piastri transitioned from karting to junior formula racing, marking a significant step in his motorsport career.
2016: International Karting and Move to the UK
Piastri expanded his karting endeavors internationally in 2016, competing in European and CIK-FIA sanctioned championships with Ricky Flynn Motorsport. This decision led him to move to the United Kingdom to further his racing career.
2017: First podium and comparison to Lance Stroll's rookie season.
Piastri secured his first podium finish at the [ unspecified race ] in [ unspecified year ]. This accomplishment drew parallels to Lance Stroll's rookie season in 2017, where Stroll also achieved his first podium.
2017: British F4 Championship Runner-Up
Joining the TRS Arden Junior Racing Team, Piastri participated in the British F4 championship in 2017. He finished as runner-up to Jamie Caroline, securing six wins and six pole positions along the way.
December 2018: Switch to R-ace GP
In December 2018, Piastri decided to switch teams, joining the reigning champions R-ace GP for the 2019 championship.
December 2018: GP3 Series Post-Season Test
Piastri participated in the GP3 Series post-season test in December 2018 at Yas Marina with the Trident team, gaining valuable experience in a higher formula car.
October 2019: Formula 3 Post-Season Test with Prema Racing
Following his success in lower formulas, Piastri joined the reigning FIA Formula 3 team champions, Prema Racing, for the post-season test in October 2019.
2019: Historic Championship Wins
Following his Formula 2 championship victory, Piastri became the first driver to win three consecutive F1 feeder series championships, adding to his Formula Renault Eurocup title from 2019.
2019: Start of Relationship
Oscar Piastri and Lily Zneimer began dating in 2019, a year before Piastri graduated from boarding school.
2019: Formula Renault Eurocup Champion
Oscar Piastri secured his first major championship victory in 2019 by winning the Formula Renault Eurocup with R-ace GP, showcasing his talent and potential.
2019: First Victory and Championship Win
Piastri celebrated his first victory in the series at Silverstone in 2019 and went on to win the championship that year after securing another victory and a fourth-place finish at the final round in Yas Marina.
January 2020: Signing with Prema Racing for FIA Formula 3
Piastri's performance in the post-season test earned him a contract with Prema Racing for the 2020 FIA Formula 3 season, where he raced alongside Logan Sargeant and Frederik Vesti.
January 2020: Joining the Renault Sport Academy
Piastri's talent was recognized early on, leading him to join the Renault Sport Academy (later renamed Alpine Academy) in January 2020.
December 2020: Move to Formula 2 with Prema Racing
Continuing his partnership with Prema Racing, Piastri moved up to Formula 2 in December 2020, replacing Mick Schumacher and partnering with Robert Shwartzman.
2020: Oscar Piastri wins the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
On December 13, 2020, Oscar Piastri secured the FIA Formula 3 Championship title.
2020: Joining the Alpine Academy
Piastri's talent was recognized by the Renault Sport Academy (later rebranded as Alpine Academy), which he joined in 2020.
2020: FIA Formula 3 Champion
Continuing his impressive rise, Piastri clinched the FIA Formula 3 championship in 2020 while racing for Prema Racing.
2021: First Formula One Test
After winning the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2020, Piastri took part in his first Formula One test with the Renault F1 Team, driving the R.S.18 at the Bahrain International Circuit.
2021: Contract with McLaren
Following a contract dispute with Alpine, Piastri signed with McLaren in 2021 to become Lando Norris's teammate.
2021: Oscar Piastri wins the Formula 2 Championship.
On December 12, 2021, Oscar Piastri clinched the Formula 2 Championship title.
2021: Formula 2 Champion
Piastri achieved another impressive feat in 2021 by winning the Formula 2 championship with Prema Racing, becoming the sixth driver to do so in their rookie season.
2021: McLaren's first double podium since the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
Piastri and his teammate Lando Norris finished second and third, respectively, in the [ unspecified race ] in [ unspecified year ]. This marked McLaren's first double podium finish since the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, highlighting their improved performance.
2021: First Formula 2 Race Win
Piastri celebrated his first Formula 2 race victory in 2021, demonstrating his ability to adapt and compete at a higher level of motorsport.
June 2022: Piastri linked to Williams, Alonso's departure, and contract dispute with Alpine.
In June 2022, rumors spread about Piastri potentially driving for Williams in 2023 while being loaned from Alpine. However, in August 2022, Alonso announced his move to Aston Martin, leading Alpine to announce Piastri as his replacement. This sparked controversy as Piastri publicly denied the agreement, leading to a contract dispute.
September 2022: Red Bull Missed Signing Piastri
In September 2022, Red Bull Racing principal Christian Horner revealed that the team missed an opportunity to sign Piastri to their junior program during his Formula 4 years.
2022: Joining McLaren for post-season testing.
After resolving the contract dispute, Piastri participated in post-season testing with McLaren following the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This marked his first official activity as a McLaren driver.
2022: Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver
Following his impressive performances in junior categories, Piastri was appointed as the Alpine F1 Team's reserve driver for the 2022 season. He was also made available as a reserve driver for McLaren through an agreement between the two teams.
2023: Debut season with McLaren, early challenges, and first points.
Piastri made his Formula One debut with McLaren in 2023. He faced initial challenges, including an electrical issue causing retirement in his first race and a collision impacting his performance in another. He secured his first points finish at his home race, the Australian Grand Prix, finishing eighth.
2023: Contract dispute with Alpine, CRB ruling, and confirmation of McLaren move.
In 2023, the contract dispute between Piastri and Alpine escalated. The FIA's Contract Recognition Board (CRB) was involved to determine the validity of Piastri's contract. The CRB ruled in favor of Piastri, allowing him to join McLaren, revealing Piastri's earlier contract signing with McLaren in July 2022.
2023: Contract dispute with Alpine, CRB ruling, and confirmation of McLaren move.
In 2023, the contract dispute between Piastri and Alpine escalated. The FIA's Contract Recognition Board (CRB) was involved to determine the validity of Piastri's contract. The CRB ruled in favor of Piastri, allowing him to join McLaren, revealing Piastri's earlier contract signing with McLaren in July 2022.
2023: Formula One Debut
Oscar Piastri made his highly anticipated Formula One debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2023, marking the beginning of his journey in the pinnacle of motorsport.
July 2024: Relationship with Lily Zneimer
As of July 2024, Oscar Piastri is in a relationship with Lily Zneimer, an engineering graduate he met during his time at boarding school. They started dating in 2018.
2024: Continued Success and Future at McLaren
As of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Piastri boasts two race wins, three fastest laps, and nine podium finishes in his burgeoning Formula One career. He is set to remain with McLaren until at least the end of 2026.
2024: Maiden Formula One Victory
In 2024, Piastri achieved his first-ever Formula One victory in Hungary, becoming the fifth Australian driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix. He repeated this achievement later in the season in Azerbaijan.
2024: Strong start to the season, first podium, and consistent points finishes.
Piastri had a promising start to the 2024 season, securing consistent points finishes and his first podium at the Monaco Grand Prix.
2024: Maiden Formula One victory, controversy over team orders, and rib injury reveal.
Piastri secured his maiden Formula One victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2024, although it involved controversy over team orders that favored him over teammate Lando Norris. During the summer break, Piastri revealed a rib injury sustained earlier in the season due to an improper seat fit. The injury had fully healed ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.
2026: Contract extension with McLaren.
On September 20, 2026, Piastri signed a contract extension with McLaren.
2026: Contract Extension with McLaren
Oscar Piastri's contract with McLaren is set to run until at least the end of the 2026 Formula One season.