Oscar Piastri: It would be cool to fly to the moon!

Journalists from the championship’s official website continue a series of funny interviews with Formula 1 drivers, in which not many questions are related to motorsport, but the conversation is mainly about universal topics. This time the subject of the interview was Oscar Piastri…

Q: Can you somehow describe yourself in three words?

Oscar Piastri: I would say I am calm, calculating and relaxed.

Question: How did you come to fall in love with Formula 1?

Oscar Piastri: First of all, I liked the sound. Of course, when I was growing up, cars sounded a little different, not like they do now, and I liked it. As for driving, I just had a blast driving everything! So a kind of passion was born: I just fell in love with motorsport in general, not just Formula 1. In general, I just love driving.

Question: When was the first time you drove a car in your life?
Oscar Piastri: I was seven or eight years old when I first got something done. I have been competing in RC car races since I was about 6 years old, but when it rains they don’t work well in those conditions. I think one day, when the weather was rainy and the race was canceled, my father asked me if I wanted to go to a karting track where you could rent karts.

It was an indoor karting track, we went there – that’s how it all started. And then I got my own kart.

Question: Since when did you pass the driver’s license exam?
Oscar Piastri: From the first! It seems to me that it is somehow wrong if the driver does not get his license the first time, so for me it worked out.

Question: Who is your best friend in the paddock?
Oscar Piastri: I’d say Logan Sargent. We have known each other for eight years, we competed in F3, where we were teammates, so we know each other very well. Of course I’m getting to know Lando Norris better and better, but I’ll probably say Logan.

Question: And outside the paddock?
Oscar Piastri: I don’t know, I have a lot of good friends!

Question: Which three people from the world of Formula 1 would you invite to dinner?
Oscar Piastri: Ayrton Senna, and maybe Michael Schumacher too, because I haven’t had the chance to meet them. And the third way will be Zach Brown – and let’s see how he shows himself in such a company!

Question: If you were organizing your dream team, which riders would you invite? And who would be entrusted with its leadership?
Oscar Piastri: Since I choose the drivers, why shouldn’t I choose myself? And also Senna. Honestly, I would choose Andrea Stella as team leader.

Question: If you could put together a musical group from the racers, who would you invite, and what would the group be called?
Oscar Piastri: Absolutely, Charles Leclerc would join such a group because he plays the piano well. I think Daniel Ricciardo could also be useful in some way. And I don’t even know who else… I can’t imagine how many people this would take. Generally speaking, Charles will play the keys, Daniel will play the guitar, and in my opinion Yuki Tsunoda should play the drums. But who will sing?…

Question: Have you heard Lando sing?
Oscar Piastri: No, I didn’t, and it’s probably a good thing I didn’t! Who should you entrust the role of singer to? Let’s call Lewis Hamilton, he can sing.

Q: What about the name of the group?
Oscar Piastri: I don’t even know, I have no ideas at all!

Question: What would your ideal lunch menu be?
Oscar Piastri: From drinks we choose “Sprite”. Let there be prosciutto and mozzarella for appetizers; you can’t live without it. They will probably serve Bolognese pasta as a main course, and chocolate soufflé for dessert.

Q: When you travel the world, do you like to try different foods?
Oscar Piastri: Yes I like it. You could say I’m an omnivore. I especially like Italian cuisine, but I also like Japanese, Chinese and Mexican. Australian cuisine is simply a combination of all of this, and everything there is done at a very high level.

Q: What was the best advice you ever received?
Oscar Piastri: There was a lot of good advice, and one of them is very specific and doesn’t have much philosophical depth: “Keep it simple!” Sometimes this advice comes in very handy.

Question: If you had the opportunity to try yourself in another profession for a day, what would you choose?
Oscar Piastri: I think it would be cool to become an astronaut for one day and fly to the moon!

Question: What is your proudest achievement in Formula 1?
Oscar Piastri: Definitely last year’s victory in the sprint in Qatar. That weekend went very well.

Q: What advice would you give aspiring racers?
Oscar Piastri: I think racing should be fun first and foremost. If it isn’t there initially, it won’t appear later. Motorsport is worth it if you love it. Second, try to continuously learn. I suppose there are no perfect racers, just like there are no perfect laps, but it is important to continually strive to get closer to the ideal.

Question: What would you like to be doing in five years? Your compatriot, Daniel Ricciardo, said that after becoming world champion he will spend more time on his farm.
Oscar Piastri: In five years… It would be nice to win five championships! To be honest, I don’t know, but I think it would be great to become world champion, but I hope in five years I’m still racing in Formula 1, and not working on a farm!