Formula Renault Eurocup champion Oscar Piastri will compete in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, the Formula 1 World Championship support series, with front-running outfit Prema Racing for the 2020 season. In addition, the 18-year old will become a member of the Renault Sport Academy, which aims to nurture talented young drivers with the ultimate goal of placing a member in a Formula 1 race seat.

The Australian racer was the class of the field in Formula Renault Eurocup during 2019, taking an outstanding seven race victories and 11 podiums in the season’s 20 races, finishing outside the top five on just three occasions, as he claimed the Drivers’ Championship. The Melbournian has already turned some laps with Prema Racing at the FIA Formula 3 Championship tests last October, where he finished fastest during the afternoon session on day two. He has also already spent time with Renault F1 Team in Enstone, undertaking work on its simulator.

Oscar will make his debut in the FIA F3 Championship at Sakhir in Bahrain over the weekend of March 20-22, before undertaking seven races at iconic venues like Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, finishing the season at Sochi Autodrom in September.

Oscar Piastri: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Prema Racing for the 2020 season and excited to step up into the FIA Formula 3 Championship. I have enjoyed two great years in the Formula Renault Eurocup and cannot wait to test myself against drivers at this level. Prema is a top team for a reason. It has a professional approach and attitude to winning which runs throughout the organisation, and the management have made me feel welcome already. I cannot wait to get to know my engineers and start working with them. I am also very excited to join the Renault Sport Academy for 2020. Many talented drivers have come through it and there is a strong line-up this year, so I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can from the fellow members. It was hard work getting to this point in my career having won the Formula Renault Eurocup last year, but it was all worth it, and I’m extremely proud to now be part of this illustrious team and Academy and maximising their support.”

René Rosin, Team Principal, Prema Racing: “Oscar is a really interesting prospect for the team. He scored plenty of great results during his career so far and we are looking forward to his Formula 3 debut with great anticipation. We worked really hard over the winter to secure a competitive line-up for 2020 and I’m satisfied with how the team has come together. In addition, we welcome the collaboration with Renault and we are proud of the trust and regard of such an important manufacturer. This year, there will be some pretty big shoes to fill considering how 2019 went, but we will support our drivers at the highest level.”

Mia Sharizman, Renault Sport Academy Director: “We’re very excited to welcome Oscar to the Renault Sport Academy. We had the opportunity to monitor Oscar for the last three years in British F4 and the Formula Renault Eurocup. We were very impressed every time we saw Oscar, especially with his performances last season. He kept his cool against tough competition to secure the title in the closing stages of the year. He has great natural ability and is one of Australia’s most exciting young racing prospects. Oscar will face a competitive field in Formula 3, but we will support him in all areas throughout his rookie season.”
About Oscar Piastri

18-year old Oscar Piastri, born in Melbourne, has been competing from an early age, first with radio-controlled cars, then in karting. Racing for fun at first, he quickly realised he could hold his own against the best and travelled to Europe for the X30 World Finals at Le Mans.

Since then he has become Vice-Champion in the F4 British Championship with Arden in just his first full season out of karts, was a podium finisher three times in his maiden Formula Renault Eurocup campaign, and became champion with R-ace GP in 2019, taking seven victories.

About the FIA Formula 3 Championship