Rookie Oscar Piastri appears to be settling into life as a McLaren driver extremely well, with the Australian having received his first “perk of the job”.
McLaren recently posted a video onto YouTube sharing the 2021 Formula 2 World Champion’s first day at the team’s base in Woking, where he was shown around the remarkable McLaren Technology Centre.
The video starts by showing the Aussie collecting his work phone, tablet and access pass to the building, before he was given the keys to a red £185,000 McLaren Artura.
“So I got the keys to a McLaren Artura, a very very cool car,” Piastri said.
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“My new wheels – I think this is called perks of the job!”
The video on McLaren’s official YouTube page also showed the 21-year-old signing his FIA Super Licence, making him eligible to compete in the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
“We signed my Super Licence so I’m now allowed to drive on the racetrack, which is handy,” Piastri added.
“Something I’ve wanted to do since a little kid, be an F1 driver, so to have the official licence to do it was a very special goal.”
Piastri’s rookie season is something a number of fans are incredibly excited to see, with the Aussie being widely expected to achieve sensational things at the pinnacle of motorsport.
The Australian is a very special and incredibly talented driver, who claimed the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles in consecutive seasons, a feat that very few drivers can boast.
His 2022 campaign was arguably wasted as Alpine’s reserve driver, with the Enstone-based outfit having never used him during an FP1 session.
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Piastri’s first experience of driving a Formula 1 car of the new aerodynamic era was actually for McLaren at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi, meaning he may need a few rounds to fully get himself up to speed.
With that in mind, fellow rookies Nyck de Vries and Logan Sargeant both enter their first season with a slight advantage over Piastri, with the duo having completed multiple FP1 sessions at the very least.
Piastri will also have to deal with team-mate Lando Norris, who has cemented himself over the last few seasons as the best midfield driver, meaning Piastri will be pushed throughout his rookie campaign.