02/09/2022
NEWS STORY
McLaren has signed 2021 Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri on a multi-year contract to partner Lando Norris from the 2023 F1 season.
The 21-year-old Australian from Melbourne has an impressive motorsport resume, winning the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup before going on to win the 2020 FIA Formula 3 Championship and 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship in successive Rookie seasons.
Piastri will join Lando Norris to complete the McLaren F1 Team 2023 driver line-up, after the team announced a multi-year extension to Lando's contract last season.
"I'm extremely excited to be making my F1 debut with such a prestigious team as McLaren," said Piastri, "and I'm very grateful for the opportunity that's been offered to me. The team has a long tradition of giving young talent a chance, and I'm looking forward to working hard alongside Lando to push the team towards the front of the grid. I'm focused on preparing for my F1 debut in 2023 and starting my F1 career in papaya."
"The entire team is delighted to welcome Oscar to McLaren for the 2023 F1 season," added Andreas Seidl. "He has an impressive racing career to date, and we are sure that together with Lando, he will be able to help us move another step forward towards our ambitions. We still have an important job to do this season which the team remains focused on, before we will then ensure Oscar is integrated into the team as quickly as possible and ready for the challenges ahead. We look forward to preparing for an exciting 2023 season together."
"Oscar is one of the up-and-coming talents coming through the feeder series into F1 and we are delighted to see him join the team for 2023," said Zak Brown. "Winning both F3 and F2 in successive rookie seasons is a real achievement and testament to his talent in single-seater racing. In Lando and Oscar we have a young, exciting F1 line-up with a huge amount of potential, standing us in good stead to achieve our future ambitions. Oscar is an exciting addition to the McLaren family, and we look forward to seeing him grow with our F1 team."
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