Oscar Piastri has said he is eager to build on his early Formula 1 success as he enters his third season, having already tasted victory in his young career.
The Australian driver, who returns to McLaren alongside teammate Lando Norris, will be part of a team looking to defend their constructors’ championship title, which they clinched in 2024.
However, McLaren are also tipped to be strong contenders in the fight for the drivers’ championship from the very start of the new campaign.
Piastri, who won two grands prix last year and secured eight podiums in his first two seasons, got his first taste of McLaren’s 2025 challenger, the MCL39, during a launch event at Silverstone on Thursday.
The Woking-based outfit are set to reveal their official livery next week at the F1 75 event in London.
“It’s great to get behind the wheel of the MCL39 for the first time ahead of us putting it through its paces in Bahrain,” Piastri said.
“The camo livery looks cool, and I am excited to showcase what we’ll be racing in this season at the official livery reveal next week.”
While Norris has held the upper hand in their intra-team battle so far, Piastri has signaled he is ready to take another step forward in 2025. “I have been working hard in the off-season to ensure I am ready for the season ahead,” he said.
“The margins at the top are likely to be incredibly tight, but I’m excited by the room for growth after two seasons in the sport. Winning grands prix early in my career has given me the taste for success, and I want much more.”
McLaren are entering the new season with strong momentum after a stellar 2024 campaign, and Piastri acknowledged the efforts behind the scenes. “As a team, we can take great momentum into 2025 after such a brilliant year in 2024,” he said.
“A big thank you to everyone back at base and trackside for all the hard work that’s been done so far.”
The 2025 Formula 1 season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix, Piastri’s home race, on Sunday, March 16. The event will see teams tackle 58 laps of the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park semi-street circuit, setting the stage for what promises to be a fiercely contested championship battle.
