'It was certainly different': Piastri teases first Supercar laps
F1 superstar Oscar Piastri hints at first Supercar laps
Supercars to share world stage with F1 in Melbourne this week
Supercars on track at Albert Park from Thursday
A first time in a Supercar was a whole new experience for McLaren Formula 1 star Oscar Piastri, who drove a race car with a roof for the first time.
Revealed last week, the F1 race winner was tipped to drive V8 Supercar machinery for the first time.
Reports suggested that Piastri, who will commence his 2026 F1 campaign in Melbourne this weekend, was in line to drive Cam Waters' Tickford Mustang at Calder Park.
Piastri and Waters share a mutual partner in Monster Energy, with the energy drinks giant taking naming rights of Waters’ Ford since 2016.
At an event for sponsor QuadLock on Tuesday, Piastri told fans he got behind the wheel, becoming the latest F1 star to swap a single seater for an Aussie V8.
“It was certainly different to an F1 car,” the nine time Grand Prix winner said.
“Lower grip, a bit heavier, it was the first time I’ve driven a race car with a roof over my head.”
Tickford have put F1 stars behind the wheel of their Supercars several times in recent years, with Fernando Alonso, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and Jack Doohan jumping in Thomas Randle’s Castrol Ford.
Earlier this year, four-time world champion Max Verstappen — who also teased ambitions to race in the Bathurst 1000 — drove a Red Bull Ampol-liveried Ford Mustang in the United States.
Daniel Ricciardo, who drove Triple Eight’s ’Sandman’ Commodore in 2016 and a Kelly Racing Nissan in 2019, has also been linked to a Triple Eight/Ford tie-up this week.
Piastri crossed paths with Supercars before he reached F1, watching on during a test day where friend and local Porsche driver Christian Pancione was on track.
"I’d like to have a go in one,” Piastri said back in 2021.
"I don’t know about racing one, because they look like a bit of a handful. Racing at Bathurst would always be cool. But yeah, I’d love to have a go, because they look like a bit of a beast of a car to try and tame.
"All the F1 drivers want to go racing in Monaco, I guess, and all the V8 Supercar drivers want to go racing in Bathurst. It’s definitely the main one I’d want to drive at.”
Supercars will hit the track at Albert Park from Thursday, with F1 action commencing on Friday.
