How Oscar Piastri Stormed to His First Formula 1 Grand Prix Victory
25 July 2024In his single seater career ahead of the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren's Oscar Piastri had stood on the top step of the podium 22 times; that's across British F4, Formula Renault Eurocup, FIA Formula 3, FIA Formula 2, and a Formula 1 Sprint Race. However, at an incredible weekend at the Hungaroring, the Aussie (and honorary Monegasque) came, saw, and conquered, to take his position on the top step of the F1 podium for the first time.
Quoting it as the day he has dreamed of since being a kid, Sunday 21 July 2024 became the day Oscar Piastri joined the greats in the racing hall of fame as a Formula 1 Grand Prix race winner.
McLaren's mid-season resurgence in 2023 has shown no signs of slowing down this year. In fact, the Papaya team are back and better than ever, with a string of incredible results so far in 2024; after 13 rounds, the McLaren boys have been on the podium 11 times between them, including both standing on one of the top three steps together in the Austrian Sprint and Hungarian Grand Prix. Their strong finishes on-track have led them to dramatically jump close to second in the Constructors' Championship, sitting just 51 points behind their now closest rival Red Bull Racing, who have accumulated 389 points so far.
In only his second year in F1, Oscar is currently sitting fifth in the Drivers' Championship, with 149 points.
Prior to the Hungarian round, Oscar had taken three trips to the podium, but never to the top step. He was always just shy of taking the coveted P1 spot in a Grand Prix. He finished the iconic Monaco Grand Prix in second, and took two podiums in the same second place spot in Austria, in both the sprint and the main Grand Prix. With the MCL38 capable of winning, it was really only a matter of time until Oscar ticked another one of his dream achievements from his bucket list.
Cue the British Grand Prix. Although Oscar's home race was earlier in the year at Albert Park in Melbourne, the British instalment of the F1 World Championship at Silverstone is like a second home race for the Aussie, with McLaren being a British team. Fans were out in their thousands proudly wearing papaya, cheering Oscar's name at any given moment across the weekend. Although on the other side of the world from his home country, the love for Oscar was palpable. Oscar qualified P5 for the British Grand Prix and came home just outside the podium spots in P4.
SEE ALSO: BRITISH GRAND PRIX RACE REPORT
A week off after the final race in the European triple header at the Home of British Motorsport saw the F1 circus travel to Budapest for round 13 of the season at the Hungaroring. After a record-breaking weekend at Silverstone for Sir Lewis Hamilton, F1 was about to be given another dose of history. Known for winning races throughout his junior career and claiming championship titles, it's been clear that ever since Oscar made his debut in F1 that he was destined for greatness. Clinching his sprint win at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix weekend proved he could stand on Formula 1's top step, he just had to do it at a full Grand Prix race.
In McLaren's first one-two qualifying finish since 2012, Oscar took P2 on the grid for Sunday's race. First piece of history making ticked off the list. A hot and dry race day didn't stop fans from pouring into the circuit. The thought of making history was surely the furthest thing from Oscar's mind as the five red lights went out and the race got underway. A tight start between teammates saw Oscar squeeze past Lando to take P1 into turn one. The squabble for positions between Norris, Verstappen, and Hamilton allowed Oscar to race into the distance and began to lay the foundations for building a comfortable lead at the front of the pack.
Out of the two McLaren cars, Lando entered the pit lane first to change his medium tyres from hard and he re-joined the race in P5. Oscar followed suit on the next lap, also getting rid of his yellow-walled tyres for white, and he came back out onto the circuit ahead of Lando in P4. Once Verstappen, Sainz and Leclerc pitted to change tyres, Oscar retook his position at the very front of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
After creating a comfortable gap at the front, Oscar pitted once again after his teammate, who entered the pits on lap 46 to change tyres in the hope of covering Hamilton for position on track. Oscar then made his second trip to the pit lane two laps later, on lap 46, and rejoined the track on the medium tyres behind Norris, who had acquired the net lead.
Drama on the radio then ensued as Lando pushed ahead to create a very comfortable lead between himself and his Aussie teammate, who had controlled the majority of the race ahead of his second pit stop. The gap between positions reached over five seconds at one point, before the pre-planned call from the team came through to Lando: he was to allow Oscar to pass at the best opportunity so he could take back the lead.
With three laps to go, on the beginning of lap 68, Lando slowed on the main straight to allow Oscar to take P1 into turn one.
He held his nerve throughout the entire Grand Prix and it paid off, as Oscar Piastri crossed the line and took the chequered flag first to become the seventh Grand Prix winner so far this year, and to also become the first F1 Grand Prix race winner to be born in this century.
So, not only did Oscar tick off one of the biggest dreams in Hungary, but he broke F1 history too, and with no sign of the MCL38 slowing down any time soon, it wouldn't be a surprise if he took the top step once again before the 2024 season is over.
