Oscar Piastri elected rookie of the 2023 season at the FIA Gala

Oscar Piastri has won the award for Best Rookie in Formula 1. This award was presented to him on Friday evening, during the prize-giving ceremony for the 2023 F1 season. This is the third time he has received this accolade, as he had previously won it in his first season in F3 and then in F2. A very impressive performance.

« If we can start next season like we finished this one, we can be in a good position, but it has been a huge effort from the team as you said. » reacted the Australian driver on stage at the FIA Gala. « I hope this is the last rookie season of my career. » he jokes. « I hope we will have a good season next year. »

The beginnings in Formula 1 with McLaren

In his first season in Formula 1, the young Australian driver finished 9th in the championship with 279 points. A good result after a difficult start to the season with McLaren. In the first race in Bahrain, Piastri was forced to retire after only 13 laps due to electrical problems. In the next Grand Prix, the McLaren driver collided with Gasly at the start. With a front wing change, he finished the race in 15th position.

During the first 10 Grand Prix, it’s a roller coaster ride for the Australian driver. The results vary. He finishes his races between 15th and 8th positions, but he can’t do better. It’s from the British Grand Prix that the rookie starts to climb at full speed. He reaches 4th place after holding on to the 3rd place for 52 laps. 15 days later, Piastri finishes 5th in Hungary.

The races keep coming but the rollercoaster continues. The rookie couldn’t drive due to significant damage his car sustained during the start. After the one-month summer break, Piastri made a somewhat lackluster comeback, finishing 9th in the race. He secured a spot in the top 10 of the Dutch Grand Prix, earning him 2 points.

Japanese Grand Prix: his first podium of the season

It was in Japan that the Australian McLaren driver was rewarded for his efforts. After an intense battle with Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri finally gave in and let his teammate pass. He finished the Japanese Grand Prix in third place alongside Norris (2nd) and Max Verstappen (1st). In the following Grand Prix, he continued to shine. He delivered a better performance than his teammate and moved ahead of him to second place. This is his best result of the season and in his Formula 1 career.