Championship leader Oscar Piastri collected the prestigious Lorenzo Bandini Trophy during a ceremony in the Emilia-Romagna hill town of Brisighella, days before the Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old joins countrymen Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo as the only Australians to claim the award, bestowed for on-track achievement and sporting spirit.
Stellar Start to 2025
Six races into the season Piastri leads McLaren team-mate Lando Norris by 16 points after three consecutive victories, the latest in Miami.
His exploits have rekindled memories of Webber’s and Ricciardo’s own breakthroughs with Red Bull a decade ago.
Trophy With a Tragic Back-Story
Named after driver Lorenzo Bandini, who died of burns three days after a crash in the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix, the award celebrates courage and flair.
It has previously gone not only to racers but to teams such as Mercedes and Ferrari, as well as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
Social-Media Celebration
Piastri posted photos beside the silverware and wrote: “Honoured to receive the Lorenzo Bandini trophy. Grazie a tutti!”
At the ceremony he added: “Hopefully that’s not the only time we hear the Australian anthem this week.”
Momentum for Imola
With Imola marking F1’s first Italian round of the year, the boost could help Piastri extend McLaren’s constructors’ advantage over Mercedes and Red Bull.
Should he win again, he would become only the second Australian after Ricciardo to take four straight Grands Prix.