Piastri grew up little more than 10 minutes from Albert Park, home to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
Last year, he competed in the event for the first time in what was his first car race on home soil.
Approaching his 23rd birthday, the Melburnian realises how privileged he is to be able to compete at the highest level of world motorsport so close to his childhood home.
“It’s definitely a privilege that I have a home race that is genuinely as close to a home race as possible,” he told Speedcafe.
However, he reasons that the F1 circus visits his hometown was not a factor in pursuing a career in motorsport.
Piastri began his motorsport journey in Melbourne under the tutelage of multiple Australian champion James Sera.
Secure your spot today.
He quickly displayed a talent for the sport and ventured abroad to pursue a career that even he admits was little more than a pipedream.
“Honestly, I think I would be,” he responded when asked if he’d be in Formula 1 had there not been a race on his doorstep as a child.
“I certainly would have tried.
“For me, when you’re so young, racing go-karts, and then even the early steps of the single-seater pathway, it [F1] seems so far away and so unlikely.
“I never really did think about it,” he added.
“I remember people saying in go-karts or when I started having some success in F4 even said, ‘how cool would it be to race in Melbourne one day?’
“In my head I was like ‘I don’t think that’s going to happen’.
“So for me, that part [having F1 in Melbourne] didn’t really weigh on my mind that much.”
Piastri is Australia’s next great hope of world championship success.
With a hugely success junior career behind him, the Victorian arrived on the F1 grid with high expectations following a very public battle for his services between McLaren and Alpine.
He soon delivered, scoring his first world championship points by dint of reaching the chequered flag in Melbourne last year.
It was a sign of what was to come with a patient approach to race weekends that quickly became a trademark that saw him bank valuable mileage early in his career.
Now in his second season and with a more competitive car at his disposal, Piastri is targeting points in Albert Park this weekend.
And while he is excited at the prospect of racing on home soil, it’s not his primary motivation.
“For me, the love of racing myself, trying to beat other people, driving fast cars, the competitive environment of it, I would say, is a much bigger influence than having a race on my doorstep.”
Piastri will take to the Albert Park circuit for the opening f1 practice session of the weekend at 12:30 AEDT on Friday.
Discussion about this post