{"id":534585,"date":"2026-03-12T02:36:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T02:36:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/534585\/"},"modified":"2026-03-12T02:36:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T02:36:22","slug":"inside-mclaren-f1-star-oscar-piastris-first-supercars-laps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/534585\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside McLaren F1 star Oscar Piastri\u2019s first Supercars laps"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOscar Piastri with Cam Waters. Image: Monster Energy <\/p>\n

Five days before the Turn 4 kerb at Albert Park cruelly contributed to a reconnaissance lap crash that put him out of the F1 season opener, he was learning how to jump kerbs in a Supercar.<\/p>\n

The Tuesday at Calder Park was at its heart a public relations stunt for Monster Energy, which is a mutual sponsor of Tickford Racing and McLaren.<\/p>\n

But it was also a chance for 24-year-old Piastri to finally sample a category the young Melburnian had grown up watching before making the big move to Europe.<\/p>\n

Tickford prepared two Mustangs for the Calder outing, handing Piastri its current #6 race car and providing Cam Waters his own 2025 machine.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Film crews capture Waters, Piastri and Sky Sports\u2019 Rachel Brookes. Image: Monster Energy<\/p>\n

Team manager Matt Roberts has seen plenty of drivers jump into the team\u2019s Fords across more than 20 years with the squad, but the chance to work with a current F1 star was something special.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a genuine racer, that kid. I was super impressed,\u201d Roberts told Speedcafe of Piastri.<\/p>\n

\u201cOscar, Cam and myself had a 20 minute chat before he got in the car. He\u2019s very methodical. He was just simply amazing to work with.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Roberts with Piastri. Image: Monster Energy<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see why he\u2019s in Formula 1. He\u2019ll be a champion one day, there\u2019s no doubt about that. Just his approach, his mindset\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWe quizzed him about whether he wanted a sighting lap before we got into the day\u2019s filming and whatnot, but he was straight into it with the Sky Sports presenter [as passenger].\u201d<\/p>\n

Sky Sports\u2019 Rachel Brookes was invited along to the Calder session to film a piece for the weekend\u2019s Australian Grand Prix broadcast.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Piastri behind the wheel. Image: Monster Energy<\/p>\n

The resulting five-minute production, included below, is a neat contrast between the worlds of Supercars and F1.<\/p>\n

Piastri begins by admitting he\u2019s never had to do his own racing harness up, telling Brookes with a wry smile that he\u2019s got \u201cno idea how the car works or where the track goes\u201d, either.<\/p>\n

It was also the young Aussie\u2019s first time in a race car with a roof, a gear stick and a clutch pedal.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cHe loved it,\u201d beamed Roberts.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe went overtime. He was supposed to be with us for like an hour and a half and he ended up being there nearly three hours.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ended up sending him out on track on his own [without a passenger]. Cam was on track and they were just having a bit of fun out there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe couldn\u2019t get him out of the car. He was pretty excited to have a steer of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Piastri on track. Image: Monster Energy<\/p>\n

The Sky Sports clip included a segment on Piastri learning to ride those big Calder kerbs, showcasing one of the key elements of Supercars racing.<\/p>\n

It was a fun focus of the Calder session that is tinged with more than a touch of irony after the devastating events of Sunday afternoon.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was nice to able to look at kerbs and go, \u2018I can hit that\u2019 and not, \u2018if I hit that I\u2019m going to break either my back or something on the car\u2019,\u201d Piastri told media after the Calder laps<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Waters and Piastri enjoy a laugh. Image: Monster Energy<\/p>\n

Piastri looked at home both in the Supercar and in the company of Waters, another laid back Aussie who transforms into an immense competitor when the visor goes down.<\/p>\n

Although wary that he was driving Waters\u2019 race car just two days out from the opening track action at Albert Park, Piastri was not hanging around.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Attacking the Calder kerbs. Image: Monster Energy<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I shut my eyes and listened to the car going around the track, I couldn\u2019t have told you whether it was Oscar or Cam in the car, he was straight on the money,\u201d said Roberts.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the shiftcut, braking, it was it was very, very impressive. I\u2019d have him back tomorrow!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n


\"\"\/
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