Australian karter Oscar Piastri has impressed in the Middle East after earning two podium finishes in a round of the FIA Formula 4 UAE Championship at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The 15-year-old who only made his circuit racing and F4 debut in December, finished two of the four championship races in third position for the local Dubai-based Dragon F4 team.

Having put in a best qualifying performance to date of third, Piastri impressively held his own against the more experienced F4 racers.

At one stage Piastri was leading one of the four 20-minute races before finishing behind F4UAE Championship leaders Jonathan Aberdein and Logan Sargeant from Germany’s Team Motopark on both occasions.

“In the last two events I just needed a bit of consistency really,” Piastri said.

“I was there or thereabouts on one-lap pace with the Motopark boys.

“But this weekend I had high expectations and so to finally get on the podium is a monkey off my back.

“It’s been tough physically driving these cars compared to karting but having so much track time on the two testing days before each of the race weekends really meant you could develop set-up and work on your driving a lot.”

Piastri has contested three rounds of the five-round, 18-race, F4UAE Championship and currently sits fourth in the driver standings.

He is unable to compete at the final event next month as he prepares for a full assault on the British F4 Championship from April with TRS Arden.

The Young Racing Driver Academy star’s previous accolades in karting includes numerous titles in Australia.

Piastri also finished sixth at the CIK-FIA Junior World Championship in Bahrain in November last year before embarking on Formula 4.