Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri will hope to once again bid for his first F1 drivers' title in 2026. 

Piastri had his best season in F1 to date in 2025 as he established himself as a championship contender with seven victories and six pole positions. 

An incredible first half of the year saw Piastri lead the championship for 15 rounds, before uncharacteristic mistakes and missing performances ultimately cost the Australian a shot at becoming world champion. 

Piastri would come third in a thrilling three-way title showdown against McLaren teammate Lando Norris and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. 

After licking his wounds over the winter and with plenty of valuable experience to build on, Piastri will be looking to have an even more successful campaign in 2026. 

In 2024, Piastri helped McLaren secure their first F1 constructors’ title since 1998. For Piastri, it was a mixed campaign.

While Piastri lacked Norris’s inherent speed, his racecraft and intelligence allowed him to take two brilliant wins in Hungary and Azerbaijan. Piastri’s form tailed off after a strong European leg of the season, as Norris maintained the upper hand, particularly in qualifying.

Oscar Piastri F1 debut came after tug-of-war

Piastri got his F1 opportunity in 2023 after a tug-of-war between McLaren and Alpine. Alpine had announced Piastri as their replacement for Fernando Alonso, but the Australian disputed that claim over social media.

McLaren ultimately won the battle to sign Piastri, pairing him alongside Norris for 2023. Piastri’s junior career was remarkable, winning back-to-back titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2.

A year on the sidelines before his F1 debut meant he started 2023 on the back foot. Piastri often showed great speed but struggled with tyre management. He scored his maiden podium at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2023 before claiming his first victory in Hungary in 2024.

Piastri went on to finish fourth in the drivers’ championship, helping guide McLaren to their first constructors’ crown in over 25 years. Piastri has his eyes on the 2025 drivers’ title - but he will need to make a notable improvement in his qualifying pace to have any chance of competing with Norris.