A lot of F1 drivers choose to follow other sports, away from the world of racing. Many engage in golf while some settle for soccer. But for Oscar Piastri, it is Australian Rules Football. The McLaren driver recently revealed he has been a lifelong fan of the Richmond Tigers and continues to follow them despite his hectic F1 schedule.
The Richmond Tigers compete in the Australian Football League (AFL). Paying homage to his favorite team, Piastri even showed up to Albert Park wearing the Tigers’ jersey two weeks ago, ahead of the Australian GP. In an interview with 10 News First, the Melbourne-born driver said,
“I can’t remember how old I was when I chose Richmond as my team. I think like, 5 or 6, but lifelong Richmond fan.”
The tigers were founded all the way back in 1885 and won two titles in the older version of the championship that lasted till 1907. Since 1908, in the AFL, they have won the premiership 13 times. Their most recent title win came in 2020, after victory against the Geelong Football Club.
Piastri added that his favorite team is currently undergoing a rebuilding phase, which is why they are underperforming in the league. They are currently in 13th out of 18 teams in the championship. Still, Piastri hasn’t stopped following them and continues to pray for their resurgence.
Oscar Piastri keeps interest in sports away from F1
Despite the demanding schedule of F1, Piastri finds a way to keep up to date with the happenings of other sports. When overseas, the difference in the time zones often makes it difficult for Piastri to watch the Tigers’ matches. However, that doesn’t mean the 22-year-old isn’t aware of what’s going on. He keeps an eye on the scores and sometimes even catches highlights of games in his spare time. Aside from football, Piastri is also a massive cricket fan.
Having played for a local club himself, Piastri carries a good knowledge of the sport. He followed the 2023 Cricket World Cup closely and even engaged in banter with Karun Chandhok after the final. Australia beat India in that match, to lift the trophy, allowing Piastri to jokingly ask Chandhok to enter the following race in Abu Dhabi wearing an Australian cricket jersey.
Most recently, the Aussie tweeted that he wanted to follow the Indian Premier League (IPL) and was looking for suggestions over which team to support.
