Australian teen Oscar Piastri ‘hungry for more’ after his first F1 test drive with Renault
Australian teenager Oscar Piastri took another step towards his goal of a Formula One drive when he tested for the Renault F1 team in Bahrain. And he made a big impression.
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Australian young gun Oscar Piastri has described his first taste behind the wheel of a Formula One car as “crazy” and is “hungry for more” after his desert drive.
The teenager took another step towards his goal of a Formula One drive when he tested for the Renault F1 team in Bahrain.
Earning his F1 test drive with his fellow Renault Sport Academy drivers as a “reward” for his championship win in Formula 3, Piastri completed 82 laps and 435km in the test.
The 19-year-old, who is managed by nine-time Grand Prix winner and former Red Bull star Mark Webber, said the experience left him wanting more.
“That was pretty crazy – the Renault F1 car certainly lived up to the excitement,” Piastri said.
“I was a little bit nervous beforehand, which is pretty normal, but after the first lap I got over that and refocused on driving fast and having fun. I think I adapted quite well and got up to speed reasonably quickly.
“The power I got used to pretty quickly. They didn’t have full battery usage initially, but when I did a qualifying run, they gave me full beams and it was quick … but the braking was just crazy. How quick the car stops is just nuts.
“Everyone says the braking is usually the hardest thing to get your head around and it is.
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“Driving an F1 car was pretty much what I’d ever dreamed of and hoped for, it was a great experience and I’m hungry for more.”
Piastri confirmed his status as Australia’s rising star of international motorsport after claiming the Formula 3 title in a thrilling finale at the Tuscan Grand Prix in October, which is set to propel him to Formula 2 next year – the rung just below Formula One.
Webber said last week Piastri was “in demand” among the F2 teams and hoped to have a seat for him confirmed within weeks.