Located on the main straight directly opposite pit lane, the Piastri Grandstand will form part of an expanded structure alongside the existing Fangio Grandstand. It will house some of the most premium seats at the circuit, offering fans views of the start line and McLaren garage.
The Melbourne-born driver, who currently leads the 2025 drivers’ championship, will join the likes of Sir Jack Brabham, Alan Jones, Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo with a stand named after him at Albert Park.
Piastri said the honour was still sinking in.
“I’m very excited by the news that I’ll have my own grandstand at next year’s Australian Grand Prix,” he said. “It feels very surreal, and I never thought this would happen but the support is incredible and I can’t wait to see it all come together next March.
“Seeing all the fans in my own grandstand directly opposite the McLaren garage is going to be an amazing experience and I’m really looking forward to feeling the energy and the atmosphere.”
View this post on Instagram
He added that the moment was “pretty surreal”, admitting he still sometimes feels like the kid who once sat trackside listening to the roar of the engines.
“It’s very cool racing at home, but I’m still at the level of when I was a little kid, just hearing the cars go around the track, let alone me being one of the cars.
“So, yeah, very cool, very special to have my own grandstand.”
Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Travis Auld said the stand recognised Piastri’s swift ascent.
“Oscar has achieved incredible success in his early career across karting, F3, F2 and now in F1,” he said. “It is only fitting that we honour Oscar’s incredible rise in the sport with a dedicated grandstand at his home Grand Prix.”
In his three previous races at Albert Park, Piastri has a best finish of fourth, achieved in 2024. He looked set for a podium earlier this year before a late spin dropped him down the order, though he recovered to finish ninth.
That fourth place equalled the best finish by an Australian driver at the event since it became part of the world championship in 1985 — matching Webber’s result in 2012 and Ricciardo’s in 2016 and 2018.
Webber, who also manages Piastri, said the tribute was well earned.
“It’s magnificent news for the event and for Oscar,” he said. “It’s a reflection of his results so far, incredibly early in his career, that he’s managed to have the amount of podiums and victories that he’s had.
“Clearly he is very comfortable at the elite level, and making his presence felt which is brilliant, and representing Australia in the way that the country likes to be represented.”
The 2026 Australian Grand Prix will open the Formula 1 season from March 5–8, with tickets going on sale to the public on September 10.
Discussion about this post