Daniel Ricciardo set for F1 r… read more
Australia has long been a prominent force in Formula 1, producing legendary drivers like three-time world champion Jack Brabham, 1980 titleholder Alan Jones, and nine-time race winner Mark Webber. For the past decade, Daniel Ricciardo has been seen as the modern torchbearer of Australian F1 excellence. With eight grand prix victories, Ricciardo has enjoyed a successful career that began with high expectations. Early on, his performances with Red Bull Racing were so impressive that many believed he could one day win a world championship. However, while eight wins is a remarkable achievement, Ricciardo never quite reached the heights many predicted for him. Now, in 2025, a new Aussie star is emerging—and he may soon relegate Ricciardo in the history books.
Oscar Piastri, currently driving for McLaren, is in the middle of a spectacular run of form that has seen him quickly close in on Ricciardo’s career tally. The 24-year-old already has six race wins to his name, including a breakthrough victory at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix and a stunning drive in Azerbaijan. So far in the 2025 season, Piastri has secured four wins, three of them consecutively, positioning himself not only as a title contender but also as a threat to Ricciardo’s standing as Australia’s third-most successful F1 driver by wins. With 18 races still remaining this season, there’s a strong chance Piastri could not only match but surpass Ricciardo’s total of eight wins before the end of the year.
Should Piastri win the upcoming races in Imola and Monaco, he will draw level with Ricciardo’s eight career victories. If he manages to maintain his current form, he could make history as early as the Spanish Grand Prix. That would push Ricciardo down the rankings to fourth place among Australia’s most successful F1 drivers in terms of race wins—a historic demotion for a driver once regarded as the future of the sport in his country. It’s a testament to Piastri’s talent and his team’s dominance that such a rapid ascent is even possible.
McLaren’s current car is widely regarded as the most competitive on the grid in 2025. This gives Piastri a significant advantage over much of the field, though it doesn’t make winning easy. He still has to contend with formidable rivals, including his own team-mate Lando Norris and three-time world champion Max Verstappen. These two have provided stiff competition in recent races, most notably during the Miami Grand Prix, where Piastri managed to hold off both drivers to secure victory. Despite Norris eventually overtaking Verstappen for second place, Piastri had already extended his lead to over eight seconds, giving him a comfortable cushion that allowed him to seal the win.
Piastri’s growing success has led to increased scrutiny over how he races against top-tier competitors, particularly Verstappen. Following the Miami GP, the Australian admitted that he has been studying the Red Bull driver closely in order to refine his own racecraft. “I’m starting to understand what you can and can’t do around Max,” Piastri said during an interview with Sky Sports F1. “In Saudi I did what I needed to, to win myself the race. Even though it took me a fair few laps to get past him, that was probably as efficient as I could have overtaken him.”
His words reflect a maturing driver who is not only fast but also intelligent on the track. By carefully analyzing how Verstappen defends and finding ways to adapt, Piastri has shown he possesses the strategic mind required to be a champion. “I learned through my years of watching Max and racing against him that being on his outside is not a very fun place and I had to try something different,” Piastri added. “It felt like a matter of when, rather than if, but I had to pick my moment wisely.”
As the 2025 season progresses, all eyes will be on Piastri to see whether he can continue this remarkable run and etch his name deeper into Australian F1 history. For Ricciardo, the prospect of being overtaken in the record books may be bittersweet, but it also signals the strength of Australia’s current crop of drivers. With Piastri leading the charge, the future of Australian motorsport looks brighter than ever.
