It’s official, Oscar Piastri is confirmed at McLaren F1 until 2026 with a contract extension. On Wednesday, on the eve of the Japanese Grand Prix, the McLaren team confirmed that its current driver Oscar Piastri has extended his contract for several seasons, with the Australian having been re-signed until the end of the 2026 campaign, adding pressure to team mate Lando Norris.
Oscar Piastri joined McLaren at the end of 2022 on a multi-year contract, making his debut for the team at the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi. The Australian has continued to impress, proving his talent with his first top-three finish by securing second place in the Sprint race at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix.
Norris’s contract ends before Piastri
With Lando Norris’ extension to 2025 announced in February 2022, McLaren has confirmed its driver pairing until the end of 2025, while Piastri is committed to the British team until the end of the 2026 campaign.
“It’s fantastic to confirm that Oscar has signed a multi-year extension with the team,” said McLaren team boss Andrea Stella.
“Oscar is an asset to McLaren and consistently impresses with his performance, work ethic and attitude.”
“So it was an easy decision for the team to make. He has already proven to be vital to the team, so it’s great to have his vote of confidence as we strive to win championships again in the future. I look forward to watching him develop with us as we continue this journey together.”
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Piastri reacts to news
“I’m delighted to be extending my partnership with McLaren for many years to come,” added Oscar Piastri.
“I want to fight at the front of the grid with this team and I am excited by the vision and the foundations that are already being laid to get us there.”
“The welcome I’ve received and the relationships I’ve built already make me feel at home. The team’s ongoing commitment to me has made me feel incredibly valued and the team’s desire for me to be part of their long-term future has made this an easy decision.”
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“To be wanted like this and for the team to have so much faith in me after only half a season means a lot.”
“Since the Abu Dhabi test last year, I’ve really felt part of everything McLaren and my thanks go to everyone in and around the team, as well as all the fans.”
“Stability is a huge advantage at the start of my career and having it with such a prestigious brand as McLaren gives me the opportunity to continue the work we’ve started.”
“We’ve had some great times together in my first season, but I’m delighted to be working with everyone at McLaren over the coming years to create some great moments.”
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Pressure mounts onto Norris
With the deal in place, pressure will be mounting onto Lando Norris to perform. McLaren obviously believe that Oscar Piastri is a potential champion and certainly, the 2023 season has marked him out to be made of ‘the right stuff’ in terms of talent.
The Australian has performed far beyond what was expected of him by consistently challenging the more experienced Lando Norris, more or less from day one of this 2023 Formula 1 season.
The British youngster will no doubt be looking over his shoulder and returning his thoughts towards the Red Bull Racing drive coming up once Perez is out.
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Vettel 🆚 Alonso
Last year's intense battle left Seb a little bit confused by the time he crossed the line 😅#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/d41PSkPyFM
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 20, 2023
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The 2023 Formula One silly season has been nothing but a damp squib. The driver market has thus far been utterly predictable with Mercedes retaining both Hamilton and Russell, Haas indicating they will make no changes and Ferrari and Aston Martin have drivers with contracts through to 2025.
McLaren have Lando Norris locked in for two more seasons and new boy Oscar Piastri is expected to receive a contract extension with the papaya liveried team…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY
