Piastri receives Don Award, Australia’s top sports honour

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Oscar Piastri’s remarkable ascent through Formula 1 has earned him a place among Australia’s sporting greats, with the 24-year-old awarded The Don Award, the nation’s highest individual honour.

The McLaren charger is the first racing driver to receive the accolade, which recognises the athlete who has “most inspired the nation” over the past year.

With seven Grand Prix victories already under his belt this season and a genuine shot at becoming Australia’s first world champion since Alan Jones in 1980, Piastri’s breakout campaign has electrified the country.

Though deep in preparation for next weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, the Melburnian’s presence was felt strongly at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame ceremony – thanks to two very proud parents.

A Family Journey Forged on Tough Decisions

Chris and Nicole Piastri took the stage on behalf of their son, reflecting on the cross-continental leap the family made when Oscar chased his racing dream as a teenager. Chris admitted the move was far from easy.

“I don’t think [his] mum was too keen on the idea. I wasn’t too keen either, but he did it … it’s a massive credit to him,” he said, quoted by Speedcafe. “He’s going to fight there to the end [in the championship].”

He added that even as the stakes rise, Oscar’s character has remained unchanged.

“The way he carries himself, his humble nature, he’ll never change, even if he wins five world championships,” Chris said.

Nicole, meanwhile, offered a candid – and very relatable – perspective on watching her son navigate motorsport’s most unforgiving arena.

“It’s fair to say Formula 1 is not a mother’s sport,” she said.

“I’d much prefer Oscar to be a pro golfer or tennis player. But it was apparent from a very young age that car racing was his passion, so I support it.

“My heart rate is dangerously high every race, particularly at the start.”

With a smile, she added one gentle request only a mother could make: “Maybe for your son to ring you a bit more often”.

An Honour Not Taken Lightly

Though thousands of kilometres away, Piastri sent a video message that underscored just how deeply the award resonated.

“Winning an award in the name of Sir Donald Bradman is a massive privilege,” he said. “Everyone in Australia knows exactly what he represented and the legacy he has in Australian sport, so it’s not lost on me how major this award is.”

The Don Award joins a growing list of achievements in a season that has seen Piastri emerge as one of the most polished talents on the grid. He enters the Las Vegas weekend trailing teammate Lando Norris by 24 points and eager to keep his championship bid alive.

Piastri will debut a special helmet under the Strip’s neon glare – a tribute to the RC car with which he won the Australian national title in 2010.

Fifteen years on, the familiar colours return, now wrapping the helmet of a driver who stands at the centre of Australian sport’s brightest spotlight.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.