Parents make immeasurable sacrifices for their children. Now think how tough it might have been for Oscar Piastri‘s parents. The little boy, who once brightened their Melbourne home with his laughter and stories of cars, had to move to Europe to pursue his racing career. How difficult it must have been for Nicole to let go of her boy! But the endeavors didn’t turn into a fiasco, and it goes without saying, Oscar is gradually taking over F1.

Recently, Mama Piastri highlighted her husband’s significant role in shaping Oscar’s success. His bold decisions and quick response to the situations as they presented themselves have been a boon for Piastri’s racing journey. Financial support becomes secondary when supportive parents like Nicole and Chris turn up for their children. It’s also crucial to understand the steps Papa Piastri took that contributed to the rise of the ‘Mini GOAT’.

Oscar Piastri’s dad’s significant decisions in shaping his career

On The Red Flags Podcast, Nicole Piastri shared the story behind Oscar’s move to Europe. When asked if it was difficult to see her son go to boarding school in the UK, she said, “I mean it’s going to sound hard if I say no. I don’t know what the crux of it is. He and his dad already moved to the UK for a year, to experience karting against European kids as opposed to Australians, which with my blessing.” She added that halfway through the year, Oscar’s dad called to say, “Hey, he’s doing great, an F4 team wants him next year so you know he’s going to go to boarding school.”

Oscar Piastri’s father chose to send him to the boarding school. Chris knew that this would facilitate his career ahead. Although difficult, the parents went on with the decision. Nicole continued: “Chris said, ‘Well, we’ll be home in a week. He’ll pack his stuff say his goodbyes and I’ll drop him off and he’ll start the year.’ And I was like okay. So when he came home, I  pulled him aside and said, ‘Do you want to do this?’ He’s like ‘yeah’. So it was a no-brainer.”

Oscar’s parents were aware of his dedication to motorsport. It made complete sense, given how as a kid Piastri would sleep-talk the speed and specs of racing cars. The once-upon-a-time remote-controlled car racing champion soon found his way into the junior categories of racing. From F4 to F1, his journey is nothing short of a thriller movie.

The motorsport prodigy named Oscar Piastri

Growing up in the Brighton suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, Oscar was already a nationwide star. He competed at the national remote-controlled car racing events until 2011. Oscar Piastri’s journey began with karting. Piastri competed in various national and international events until moving to the UK in 2o16. This was a major turning point in his career. He further participated in the GP3 series, F3, and F2 seasons. To put it simply, he was brilliant. Even in his rookie days, he was nothing less than a pro.

Oscar went on to win the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2018, the F3 Championship in 2019 and the F2 Championship in 2021. So you see, he was already a decorated champion before walking into the F1 paddock. However, his entry into Formula 1 was equally historic. Being Alpine’s reserve driver, he was expected to debut with them. However, that wasn’t the story. After a few misunderstandings and contract clearances, Oscar Piastri became Lando Norris‘ partner at McLaren in 2023. And he aspires to continue with the Papaya Army for a good amount of time.

It takes great courage for the parents to let go of their children. However, if the child is as promising as Oscar Piastri, then nothing can be better than that. Nicole and Chris must be so proud of their boy, having achieved so much in such a short period. But his journey continues. As time moves ahead, Piastri Jr. will turn into a more mature driver, and within no time, he could become the next F1 World Champion.

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