McLaren have unveiled their championship-ready machine, ahead of Formula One’s return on March 5th, but will the team’s newest addition, Oscar Piastri drive it to its full potential?
The British team are in amongst the huge shakeup coming to Formula One in its 2023 season, as the grid welcomes both new and old drivers to the world’s greatest motoring championship.
Oscar Piastri is amongst those entering the enticing world of Formula One for the first time, the Australian having won back-to-back world titles in his Formula Two and Three seasons.
The highly decorated driver found himself centre of attention in Formula One’s off-grid gossip last year, with McLaren and competitor, Alpine, both wanting the 21-year-olds skills for their garages. He told talkSPORT.com, the affair was “certainly an experience.”
Formula 2 regulations state that any driver who wins the championship may not return to the competitive series within two years, leaving Piastri out of continuous racing and instead, Alpine’s reserve driver for 2022.
In a shock turn of events, 2-time world champion, Fernando Alonso, left Alpine, initiating the chaos, as the team panicked and as a result, announced Oscar Piastri as their newest driver.
Unfortunately for them, the young star had already signed with McLaren, forcing him to publicly state that “Without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release […] that I am driving for them next year. […] I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
Piastri is not the only new face joining Formula One for its 74th competitive season, Nyck de Vries and Logan Sargeant are also counting down the days until their F1 debuts in Bahrain.
De Vries has often been spotted at a Grand Prix weekend, typically with Mercedes Team Principle, Toto Wolff, although the Formula E two-time world champion has signed with Alpha Tauri.
Sargeant will become the only American driver on the 2023 grid, despite the United States hosting three of the circuits this Series, the homely support sure to raise his confidence throughout the season.
There are just over 2 weeks until Formula Ones’ first race in 2023, and subsequently the three rookies first chance to prove their undeniable talents to the F1 enthusiasts, who eagerly await the sports return.