McLaren's Oscar Piastri sets sights on home victory at Australian Grand Prix
The streets of Albert Park will be buzzing with excitement this week as McLaren's Australian driver, Oscar Piastri, aims for a breakthrough win at his home Australian Grand Prix. Sporting the distinctive papaya-colored livery, Piastri seeks to become the first Australian to step onto the podium, and potentially take the victory, since the race joined the Formula 1 calendar in 1985.
Coming off an impressive fourth-place finish at Albert Park last year and an overall fourth in the drivers' championship behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Piastri is now focused on reaching the top. As he embarks on his third season with McLaren, he's optimistic about his chances.
"I do think that I can become world champion this year," Piastri confidently stated during the unveiling of McLaren's new MCL39 car last month.
While his teammate Lando Norris might be the bookmakers' favorite for the title, Piastri returns to Melbourne with a renewed contract and the momentum from two race wins and eight podium finishes last season. The 23-year-old has been rejuvenated by a long summer break in Australia and successful winter testing in Bahrain, where he praised the performance of his new car.
Though the departure of former fan favorite Daniel Ricciardo from Formula 1 after a challenging 2024 season has left a gap, Australian fans will still have two drivers to cheer for at Albert Park. Alpine's Jack Doohan, son of motorcycling legend Mick Doohan, will also be racing and is expected to attract a significant following.
The presence of two homegrown talents is a boon for Australian motorsport, which has seen a surge in junior participation. Motorsport Australia CEO Sunil Vohra highlighted the growing interest.
"There's more engagement and participation flowing through the sport when people can see Australian drivers at the top level, particularly with Formula 1's popularity today," Vohra told Reuters. "Our junior licences at our youngest level for competitors are up 14% year-on-year."
The excitement could reach new heights if Piastri can secure a victory on Sunday, after securing a near-miss podium last year in front of record crowds. Organizers have reinstated the post-race "track walk" for fans, which had been suspended after a crowd invasion in the 2023 race.
"If [Piastri] can [win] it, thank God we've got the track-walk post-race because I think they will fill it," said Australian Grand Prix chief executive Travis Auld. "He's a Melbourne boy and there's huge hype around Oscar for round one -- and it won't worry Oscar."
As Piastri gears up for what could be a historic weekend, the anticipation is palpable both at Albert Park and across the nation.
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