Australia’s Oscar Piastri, the most wanted man in Formula One, says he’s “extremely excited” to have landed a drive with British giants McLaren in next season’s championship.
McLaren won its contract battle with French rivals Alpine on Friday, enabling the team to announce 21-year-old Piastri will be the man to take over from fellow Aussie Daniel Ricciardo next season.
Ricciardo will leave McLaren after two largely disappointing years - but hopes are high that Melbourne’s Piastri will become the next Australian F1 superstar. “I am super-excited to be joining the grid and with such a prestigious team like McLaren,” Piastri said on social media. “I have no doubt it’s a great place to start my career.
It’s been a long road up until this point.” The reigning Formula Two champion Piastri, who’s managed by former Australian F1 star Mark Webber, had gone public during the contract battle over his determination to join McLaren.