Hi friends,
I finished Drive to Survive, Alpine added their fourth reserve driver and the FIA handed out a combined 60 places of penalties in F2 before cars even hit the track in Australia. The racing season is truly back!
Top Story of the Week: Oscar Piastri Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension with McLaren
In a move that took most of us by surprise, Piastri and McLaren announced on Tuesday, that they had agreed to a multi-year extension.
Piastri, who is entering his just 3rd season in Formula 1, had already signed a contract that would keep him with the papaya team through 2026, and with this new extension, the relationship between them will continue through at least 2028.
It’s slightly unusual for contract extensions to happen so far our from the current contract expiry, but both parties clearly feel that they are on the right track, and so put pen to paper to shore up the deal this early.
To me, this is a good move by everyone involved. McLaren are clearly on an upward trajectory, and barring any major upsets, should be in a prime position to challenge for both championships as the racing gets under way.
By closing the deal on Piastri this early, they avoid the distraction of having to negotiate a contract during the 2026 season, which is going to be hectic enough as it is, with the new formula arriving on stage. McLaren also avoids having to fight with other teams over Piastri’s services when the next big shuffle rolls around at the end of 2026, where drivers like Hamilton, Alonso, Gasly, Sainz and Albon all could be on the move again.
It also means that McLaren secures a relative discount on Piastri’s compensation, locking what the young Australian will be paid for the next four years – potentially saving themselves a bit of cash, should Piastri go and win a championship with them.
Personally, I think this could very well be a World Drivers’ Championship signing by McLaren. Piastri has been on a very promising development curve since joining the team, and I believe he may even have a higher ceiling than Norris. If McLaren can continue to provide a car capable of challenging for the podium spots, Piastri could very well be a Championship contender.
The Rest of the Stories This Week:
- Helmut Marko said Doohan “is a ‘C’. I don’t think he will complete the season”.
- Cadillac has formally been approved to join the grid in 2026
- VCARB Technical Director Jody Egginton will leave the team at the end of March
- Stefano Domenicali will stay on as F1 CEO through 2029
- Jonathan Wheatley will start his new job as Sauber Team Principal on April 1st
- F2 teams DAMS, Rodin and TRIDENT have been penalised for modifying a standard part to install air flow sensors during testing
- Amaury Cordeel will replace Christian Mansell at Rodin in Formula 2
- Alpine announced another reserve driver: Kush Maini joins for 2025
- Alpine has named former Räikkönen Race Engineer David Greenwood as their new Racing Director
- Pirelli will replace Michelin as the MotoGP tyre supplier from 2027
- Jamie Chadwick joined the Sky Sports broadcast team
That’s it for this week, thank you for being here.
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