Melbourne is Oscar Piastri country

In case you step foot in Melbourne this week, you’ll rapidly study there’s no escaping Oscar Piastri. His face beams down from billboards, sails previous on trams, and even greets hungry followers exterior Grill’d, the place his limited-edition burger has change into a nationwide hit for the chain. He additionally recorded particular bulletins for the town’s public transport system and can make appearances for manufacturers like Jack Daniel’s and Mastercard within the lead-up to the race. Australia’s golden boy is so inescapable that even his personal sister, Hattie, has had sufficient — a viral TikTok video showed her running into multiple billboards of her big brother on her every day commute. That’s all to say, there’s no query that the nation’s love affair with the McLaren ace is effectively underway. 

It’s simple to neglect that 2025 is just Piastri’s third season as an F1 driver; at simply 23 years previous, he already carries himself with the maturity of a seasoned veteran. He entered the paddock within the shadow of his charismatic fellow countryman, Daniel Ricciardo, after he was booted from the Papaya outfit on the finish of 2022. However Piastri instantly made it clear he had no plans to copy the larger-than-life antics and particular model of Aussie humor that made Ricciardo a family identify. In distinction, Piastri is quiet, however followers have since discovered that he’s additionally hilariously dry and witty. He’s not flashy in any sense of the phrase both, and he actually isn’t attempting to be somebody he’s not. 

That authenticity has made him a magnet for manufacturers — whether or not or not it’s a private cope with Grill’d or his McLaren sponsor obligations with Mastercard. It’s additionally nice timing contemplating Ricciardo’s decade-long reign because the king of the Australian Grand Prix is coming to an finish: there’s a brand new hometown hero to function the face of Aussie motorsport — and he’s plastered on each out there billboard, bus cease, and display.

Piastri is seemingly feeling extra assured and at-ease than ever earlier than, and he’s received loads to be pleased about following the announcement that he inked a contract extension with McLaren this week. The size of the multi-year deal was not disclosed, although his present contract runs by means of 2026. “It’s a terrific feeling realizing that I’m a part of McLaren’s long-term imaginative and prescient,” he mentioned in a press launch Wednesday. “I’m very proud to be persevering with to characterize this legendary crew for a few years to return. I’m excited to struggle for the large prizes as a McLaren driver and after final yr’s improbable achievements, it has made me even hungrier to remain on the sharp finish.” 

One other Oscar Piastri advert on the tram in Melbourne, Australia

Not solely did Piastri change into a grand prix winner in 2024, however he performed a significant position in serving to the crew clinch its first constructor’s title since 1998. He and Lando Norris, who additionally signed a contract extension final yr, are one of many strongest line-ups on the grid, that means followers have an actual shot of seeing an Aussie declare victory at Albert Park on Sunday. Within the historical past of the race, no Australian driver has ever stood on the rostrum, but when anybody can break the so-called curse, it’s Piastri.