Oscar Piastri needed only 15 Formula One races to convince McLaren that he is their driver of the future. The F1 team announced on Wednesday that Piastri signed a contract extension that runs through the 2026 season.
Piastri secured a new deal thanks to an impressive debut campaign that saw him collect 42 points and rank 11th on the F1 Driver Standings at the moment. His best finish was fourth place at the British Grand Prix.
“I am thrilled to be extending my partnership with McLaren for many years,” Piastri said after signing the deal. “I want to be fighting it out at the front of the grid with this team, and I am excited by the vision and foundations that are already being laid to get us there.
McLaren now has now secured stability at the driver positions for the foreseeable future. Lando Norris is also on a long-term contract that runs through the 2025 Formula One season.
Oscar Piastri has been long touted as the next big star in car racing. He had an exceptional run before coming to Formula One that saw him win the Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3 Championship, and Formula 2 Championship in straight seasons.
Piastri was initially contracted to race for Alpine this season after serving as the team’s test driver in the 2022 season. However, the Australian driver ended up rejecting the opportunity and forced a move to McLaren.
