Piastri a real shot at Australian GP history

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 11 March 2025

The latest record crowd can walk into Albert Park with anticipation knowing there is an extremely strong possibility they could see Oscar Piastri make history in Melbourne.

An Australian has never kept a trophy from a home Grand Prix and Piastri has the best shot in 2025 driving the MCL38, what is tipped to be the fastest car on the grid post testing.

McLaren’s own Brighton boy already has the equal best result for a home driver in Melbourne, matching the fourth place records of Red Bull compatriots Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo in just his second attempt.

However, after McLaren won the constructors title and Piastri broke through for his first two wins in 2024, more is possible and expected in 2025.

Importantly he felt comfortable behind the wheel of the MCL38 at testing and believes McLaren will be in “decent shape.”

Piastri on the Hungary podium after his famous first win. Image: LAT

“I think it was a productive three days. We tried a lot of things and learnt a lot,” Piastri said of testing.

“Some things felt quite good, others still need improvement but working through this is exactly what testing is for.

“Some of the runs have been strong and others a bit tricky. It felt pretty similar to last year and with this generation of car it is never going to feel as good as you want it to.

“The car ran pretty much faultlessly, which was a solid place to be starting from.

“We’ve got a lot to review before Melbourne, but I think we’re going into it in decent shape.

“It is so hard to know, but I think it will be extremely tight at the front.”

For the first time in his career Piastri’s home race will double as the season opener and after tasting more success in 2024, he knows the attention of being the fan favourite at the front will only heighten.

“It’s awesome that the season-opener is in my backyard. I’m biased but Melbourne is such a special atmosphere and the fans always come out in force,” he said.

“The reception that I’ve had there the past two seasons has given me goosebumps and I know that 2025 will be no different. I can’t wait for it.”

Mark Webber exiting the pits in 2010. Image: Andrew Ferraro/LAT Photographic

Of course two home heroes have stood on the Albert Park podium before, infamously Daniel Ricciardo in 2014 and Mark Webber in 2002.

Webber did it for a bit of fun after both he and everyone else was shocked to see the rookie drive the hapless Minardi to a magical fifth place and rare points at the first time of asking following a first-corner crash for the ages.

Then in 2014 when Ricciardo replaced Webber at Red Bull, the new boy had the home crowd on its feet.

In his first drive at the top team, the Perth youngster qualified on the front row and backed up the stunning Saturday with a composed drive on Sunday to be a strong second behind Nico Rosberg in the all-conquering Mercedes.

Daniel Ricciardo on the podium celebrating a briefly famous second place at Albert Park. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images/RBCP

Ricciardo was the king of Melbourne, but those scenes on the podium have been reduced to memories as he was stripped of the second place due to breaching the fuel flow limits.

But more than a decade on, Piastri is poised to stand on the podium and keep the trophy the Melbourne crowd will cherish forever.

All eyes will be on the youngster to see if he can deliver on the big stage and make history.

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