Despite being only in his sophomore year in F1, Oscar Piastri makes $6 million a year. Appearing in a ‘Lie Detector Test’, Piastri found himself in an awkward situation while addressing his potential future salary. The host asked Piastri whether he would be happy at McLaren earning half of what he does. Piastri quickly replied that he would be, but it was a lie.
Host – “Would you still enjoy being a McLaren driver on half your salary?”
Oscar Piastri – “Yeah!”
Since Piastri was in a lie detector test, he had a machine attached to him and it reported that the Aussie was lying. This put him in an awkward position, especially when the Sky Sports host remarked “No! Oh, dear. It’s all about the money, Oscar!”
Notably, Piastri penned a $6 million a year deal ahead of his second season with McLaren. He was previously earning a smaller amount, but his performances in 2024 compelled McLaren to increase his salary (as reported by Spotrac). The Woking-based outfit saw an opportunity to lock in the talented driver for the future, and they grabbed it quickly.
Starting the 2023 season on a weak note, McLaren soon started to improve and ended the year almost on par with Red Bull. Once Piastri had a much faster car at his disposal, he showcased his driving skills in front of the whole world. The Australian driver kept pushing Lando Norris to the limit, outperforming him on several occasions. He even beat Max Verstappen during the Sprint race in Qatar and ended the season in P9 with 97 points, courtesy of two podium finishes.
Smooth sailing for Oscar Piastri in 2024
As is his nature, Oscar Piastri is steadily gelling with his car and improving his overall performance. The 22-year-old started the season with a P8 finish in Bahrain in what was a relatively difficult race for McLaren. However, the following two races have been much better for him. He finished P4 in Jeddah, as well as in Australia, helping McLaren secure important points. He even outperformed Lando Norris in Saudi Arabia, as the British driver could only muster up a P8 finish.
Expectations will rise from Piastri as the season progresses. McLaren would want to see more podium finishes from him as they bring in upgrades to their car. Chances are, McLaren could even hone him to fight for race wins and compete at the front of the field. Should that be the case, a rivalry could even take shape between the two teammates at McLaren.
However, the off-track chemistry between the two drivers might not allow the supposed rivalry to blow up beyond control. Both drivers are mature enough to understand the workings of the sport. Thus, the battles that may ensue between them would strictly be professional and on track.
