Oscar Piastri has signed a new multi-year contract with the McLaren Formula 1 team, securing his future with the British team beyond his original deal, which was set to run until the end of 2026. This decision comes ahead of the 2025 season opener in Melbourne, with McLaren making the move to extend the 23-year-old Australian’s contract.

Although McLaren has not disclosed the exact length of Piastri’s new deal, it is expected to run at least until 2028, subject to various options. This contract extension follows McLaren’s move to lock in his teammate, Lando Norris, on a long-term deal in January 2024. The team is clearly focused on solidifying its future with a strong driver lineup to complement its ambitions on the track.

Piastri, who joined McLaren from Alpine’s junior program, expressed his excitement about the extension.

“It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m part of McLaren’s long-term vision,” said Piastri. “The team had the belief in me when we signed in 2022, and the journey we’ve gone on over the past two seasons to help return McLaren to the very top of the sport has been incredible.”

Since his debut in Formula 1 in 2023, Piastri has proven to be a rising star in the sport. His talent was evident right away as he impressed during his rookie season and went on to claim his first two Grand Prix victories in 2024. By the end of his sophomore season, he had secured a solid fourth-place finish in the driver’s championship.

McLaren’s decision to renew Piastri’s contract was driven not only by his on-track performances but also by his work ethic and character off the track. CEO Zak Brown praised Piastri for his contributions both during races and in his role within the team.

“Not only is he an incredibly talented driver, but his work ethic and cultural fit within the team made it a no-brainer to extend his time in papaya,” Brown said. “We’ve got the best driver line-up on the grid, and in the past two seasons, we’ve seen how much of an asset to the team Oscar is both on and off track. He was absolutely fundamental in adding to our legacy with the 2024 constructors’ championship last season.”

McLaren is positioning itself as a serious contender in the sport’s elite ranks, and the stability provided by this contract extension with both Norris and Piastri signals their ambition to continue to improve and challenge for the top spots in the coming years.

With the 2025 season just around the corner, the renewal of Piastri’s contract is a significant move for both the driver and the team, signaling a commitment to their ongoing partnership and shared future success.

Cadillac’s incoming Formula 1 team has made it clear that driver selection for the 2026 season will be based on merit, with the possibility of including an American driver. Graeme Lowdon, the team principal of the new F1 squad, emphasised that the team will prioritize talent and performance in choosing its driver line-up, even as the idea of fielding a homegrown American driver remains in the conversation.

In a significant step for the American automotive giant, General Motors’ Cadillac brand was officially approved for the 2026 Formula 1 grid. However, preparations for the team’s debut have been underway for some time, with driver talks only becoming possible after the official ratification of the entry.

“We definitely select on merit,” Lowdon stated.

“Formula 1, it’s not a playground, this is the pinnacle of world motorsport.”

Due to the unconventional timeline of their entry, Lowdon explained that Cadillac is slightly out of sync with the other F1 teams. The team’s late entry into the driver market means that many top drivers are already tied up in contracts, making the selection process more challenging. However, Lowdon remains optimistic about the available pool of talented drivers.

“Luckily for us, there are a lot of good drivers out there,” he noted. “Unfortunately, we’ve not been able to be in the driver market until the entry was confirmed.”

Despite the timing challenges, Lowdon is confident that they can find suitable candidates. He mentioned that more than half a dozen drivers, if not more, offer the credentials needed to compete in Formula 1.

“We are going to be quite busy talking to a few people,” he said.

Some experienced drivers currently without a seat in F1 have been linked to Cadillac, including Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, and Zhou Guanyu. These drivers could bring valuable experience to the team, especially with the challenges of launching a new squad in F1.

Lowdon specifically singled out Zhou Guanyu, noting that he has worked closely with the Chinese driver through his management team and has seen firsthand Zhou’s abilities in difficult circumstances.

“Zhou’s done an exceptionally good job under difficult circumstances, and what makes it actually quite useful for me is he doesn’t necessarily need to explain the background of his abilities because I’ve had a front-row seat to see all that,” Lowdon explained.

While he emphasized that there would be no favoritism towards any particular driver, Lowdon acknowledged that Zhou’s experience could be an asset in the team’s early years.

One of the most frequently asked questions regarding Cadillac’s entry into Formula 1 is whether the team will field an American driver. Lowdon has not dismissed the possibility, acknowledging that the American public and fans would likely enjoy seeing one of their own in the sport. However, he reiterated that driver selection will remain focused on merit.

“The obvious question is whether we’ll have American drivers, and personally, I see no reason why an American driver can’t be selected on merit as well,” said Lowdon. “It’s certainly something that the fans would like to see, and I see no reason why that can’t happen.”

Lowdon emphasized that nationality would not be a deciding factor in the selection process.

“Just because someone’s American doesn’t mean they can’t be a good Formula 1 driver,” he said.

One American driver frequently mentioned in connection with the Cadillac team is IndyCar’s Colton Herta. The 24-year-old has been a standout in American open-wheel racing but currently faces a significant hurdle in his pursuit of a Formula 1 seat—he does not have enough superlicence points to race in F1.

Lowdon acknowledged Herta’s talent but made it clear that the team would not be able to sign him unless he meets the required superlicence threshold.

“With regard to Colton, so he doesn’t have the required number of superlicence points, and if that were to remain the case, then that’s clearly an impediment for him,” Lowdon explained. “We can’t choose a driver that doesn’t have the points. That is just the real world that we live in, and we just have to take that into account.”

Despite the regulatory hurdle, Lowdon praised Herta’s abilities, stating, “He’s incredibly talented, so it’s not shock news that we would be looking to Colton alongside a whole bunch of other drivers as well.”

However, the lack of superlicence points is not an issue unique to Herta, as Lowdon pointed out that several other drivers might also face similar challenges in the future.

As the Cadillac team continues to build its structure for the 2026 season, Lowdon remains focused on assembling a talented and competitive driver lineup. With the official confirmation of Cadillac’s F1 entry now in place, the team is set to embark on an exciting journey in one of the most prestigious motorsport championships in the world.

Regardless of the nationality of the drivers, Lowdon’s clear message is that merit will be the driving factor in shaping the team’s future. Fans around the world will eagerly watch as Cadillac works to finalize its lineup and take its place on the Formula 1 grid in just a few short years.