Oscar Piastri made history in Abu Dhabi this weekend, not only to become the first Australian to be crowned FIA Formula 2 champion, but to also win three successive championships, a feat no driver has achieved on their road to F1. Putting on another mighty display, it was quite the weekend for the highly rated 20-year-old rookie from Melbourne as he claims his prestigious reward before graduating from the Alpine Academy to take on his new role with the F1 team next year.

After a journey that started back in March, it was time for the eighth and final round of the FIA Formula 2 World Championship. Arriving to the Emirate’s circuit of Yas Marina, the home of past success, the young Australian was on the verge of making history and he didn’t waste any time to stake his claim around the newly reconfigured track. Coming into Friday’s practice session Piastri topped the timesheets, following this up with an outstanding qualifying session where he again topped the timesheets with every lap he put on the board. Putting in monster sector times when needed, the Prema driver was on fine form as he grabbed his fifth pole in a row with a 1:35.077 ahead of follow Australian, Jack Doohan.

“Fifth pole of the year, it felt very good! We were in control for the whole session and the whole day, really. The car was great once again, and it’s a great way to end the year in qualifying, on top again. I’m very happy.”

As the paddock arrived for the first sprint race, it was Piastri in P10 who stormed off the line passing both ARTs into turn one on his way to P6. Now behind his championship rival, Robert Shwartzman, the Premas set off to hunt down the Carlin of Dan Ticktum. By lap three the charging Premas were on the back of the Carlin and as Shwartzman got past, Piastri followed with a great move around the outside of the new long loop of turn nine on lap four. In clearer air Piastri set a fastest lap of 1:39.859 and was soon looking to make a move on Liam Lawson, completing the pass down the first DRS straight on lap seven.

Piastri was now in P4 behind his Prema teammate as the pair set their sights on the top two up ahead and had joined them for a four way battle by lap 12. But with the tyres starting to wear it was important to keep them in check and not overuse them as the race fell into a holding pattern as the drivers looked to conserve their tyres.

By lap 18 Piastri was looking to put pressure on his Prema teammate who subsequently locked up coming into the hotel section on lap 19. With a potential flat spot on worn tyres, Piastri sensed an opportunity as he closed in on the Ferrari Academy driver, making the move down the inside of turn six on lap 20. But Shwartzman wasn’t giving the position up as the two battled through multiple corners before Piastri held onto P3 coming out of turn nine. It was a brave move for the final step of the rostrum but by doing so the Alpine Academy driver had placed himself in a championship winning position. He continued to run in P3 through the final stages to cross the line the new FIA Formula 2 champion. A huge feat for a driver in his rookie year and his third championship in a row.

“I’m very very happy to be F2 Champion, and what a race to do it on, getting to the podium from 10th place! I think that getting the title that way sums up the year perfectly. The car was good the whole way through, I had a mega start, and I was sixth after the first corner. Robert and I had some pace in hand, which was very nice, but I could see that he was struggling a bit towards the end, maybe he damaged his tyres when we caught up with Jehan and Felipe, and they were battling. I really didn’t have that one chance to pass him before, but I eventually made it stick. Of course, we still got two more races, but I’m super happy, and I will go all out. Thank you for the support everyone, thank you Prema. Now let’s have some fun in the last two races.”

After the celebrations for the newly crowned champion, it was time to race again under the flood lights for the second sprint race. Starting P8, it was another good start for Piastri who got past a slow-starting Theo Pourchaire off the grid and went to make a move on Lawson down the inside of turn five where contact was made with the Hitech as it left the track. What followed was a frantic few corners with four wide into turn six and by turn nine Piastri had been muscled out in the battle having fallen down the pack and now in P14.

The Prema driver made a position passing the Trident of Bent Viscaal on lap two and was quick on the gear box of Roy Nissany by the following lap. The battle was paused due to a Virtual Safety Car for the stranded HWA of Alessio Deledda who was stuck on the corner of turn nine after a collision with Olli Caldwell. This became a full safety car during which Piastri was handed a five second time penalty for the first lap incident with Lawson. We were back to green flag conditions at the end of lap six as battle recommenced and Piastri made a brilliant move around the outside of turn six to take not just one but two positions, passing Nissany and Juri Vips. But the fight wasn’t over as they both came back at the Prema driver with the battle coming to a dramatic climax as Nissany’s DAMS went down the inside of turn nine making contact with Piastri who then hit the Hitech of Vips. That was the end of the race for Piastri and Vips with the Australian keen to move on and refocus on the final race of the season.

“Not my finest race of the year, that’s for sure. I was a bit too ambitious on the first lap with Lawson, and unfortunately, we made contact. Then I got sort of caught in the middle between Vips and Nissany. According to the stewards it was a race incident and I pretty much agree with that. A race to forget, now we have another chance to round out the year on a high tomorrow.”

The final race of the season had arrived and it was Piastri in P1 after his spectacular pole alongside his compatriot Doohan in only his second F2 race. There was a split strategy across the gird with some on the super soft tyres with others opting for the mediums. Piastri on the super softs got off to a brilliant start and disappeared into the distance. Behind, there were fierce multi-car battles which ended with a safety car for the cars of Doohan and Lawson after their battles with Guanyo Zhou and Shwartzman saw them both off track and on their return spinning out of turn 11 in what was a mirror incident for both.

End of lap four and Piastri took the pack away nice and early and was soon clocking consecutive fastest laps over the following three laps with a 1:39.352 on lap seven. Staying in control of the race the Prema driver was into the pits for his final service from his team on lap nine. The other super soft starters had followed and once the period had settled, Piastri was P11 and three seconds up the road from Zhou. By lap 13 he posted another fastest lap as he closed the gap to those on the alternative strategy, passing the last of the runners, Deledda, by lap 17.

Lap 24 and in preparation for the potential battle that was looming Piastri picked up the pace to get his tyres up to temperature and put himself in the window whereby those upfront could pit but not come out in front. Over the following few laps the drivers ahead started to pit for the super softs. But it was a slow stop for race leader Pourchaire and he and the other front runners came out behind Piastri. The fresh purple walled tyres got up to speed quickly and they were soon lapping two seconds a lap quicker than the leaders, but the Alpine Academy driver had pulled out enough of a gap to not have to be too concerned as a Virtual Safety Car came out for Lawson’s stricken Hitech. This was swiftly cleared and with just over a lap to go Piastri continued his calm and mature approach to finish his season in style as he crossed the line P1 for his fourth feature race win in a row. The perfect way to end an extraordinary season and a final thank you to his Prema team.

“The year’s done, ended it with a win, which is the best way to do it. It was a good race, eventful before it even started, getting crashed in the pit lane, but it finished the way we wanted to, and that’s the most important thing. I couldn’t be happier really, thank you to the team for an awesome two years.”

After a spectacular season it was time for jubilation as F2 champion Oscar Piastri had once again achieved his goal at the first time of asking. He will now leave the Prema Team and graduate from the Alpine Academy to become the Alpine F1 Team’s reserve driver for 2022.

Images © Prema Powerteam