Every driver dreams of racing in front of a sold-out home crowd, and it will be that much more special for Oscar as the Australian Grand Prix circuit is located less than a stone’s throw away from his childhood home.

Oscar will make his hotly anticipated debut for McLaren at Albert Park this weekend, which is less than 10km away from where he grew up in the city’s suburb, Brighton.  

Speaking as he arrived at the circuit, following a long journey from our Woking-based factory, Oscar said that “lots of memories instantly come flooding back.”

“A big thanks in advance to all the home crowd and all the papaya fans that are turning out and supporting me,” he continued. “I am so grateful for all the support and backing. It means an awful lot.”

“I’m a very proud Australian, so it just gives me a special feeling to be returning home and competing in my home city. There is something unique about going racing in my old backyard that is hard to explain. 

“It’s also a really quick track, which I love, and I can’t wait for the challenge.”

Although Oscar has never previously raced at Albert Park, it won’t be his first experience of the circuit’s famous Aussie crowd. The 21-year-old attended the race in 2022, eight years on from his first visit to the track as a budding 13-year-old karter.

“When I was 13, I was part of a programme in Australia where young karters went onto the grid to hold up banners for the F1 drivers,” he recalled. “I was supposed to be holding Daniil Kvyat’s, but he ended up breaking down on the formation lap, so I never actually got the chance to meet him, unfortunately. 

“It was still an amazing experience, though, especially at that age. To be so close to everything and in amongst all the action, when I had only previously seen it on TV, was awesome.

“I visited as a Reserve Driver last year, which was slightly different, but that gave me a good idea of what to expect. The atmosphere created by the fans is something special, and the noise and passion they show is incredible. It will be another amazing crowd, and I’m sure there is going to be a real buzz around the grounds, as there always is. 

'“It is obviously going to be busier this year with the small matter of racing, but I can’t wait to get cracking.”

Albert Park will play host to the season’s third round, with Oscar bidding to score his first points in F1. After a stellar qualifying performance in Round 2 at Saudi Arabia that saw him line up eighth on the grid, Oscar suffered damage during contact with Pierre Gasly, which forced him into the pits for a new front wing and dropped him at the back of the grid.

Having made his way back up to 15th in the race, Oscar will be using his learnings from that experience to try and challenge for a top 10 position in front of his home crowd in Australia.

“There will be lots of people that have been instrumental to the journey at the track, and that will be amazing,” he continued. “I must admit, though, that I’m just fully concentrated on the race. I want to give it everything, so I think the occasion will probably be one of those things that I reflect upon a bit more in a few years’ time. It is going to be a fantastic experience, and I am really looking forward to it.”

You can follow all of the Australian Grand Prix action throughout the weekend with LIVE commentary on the McLaren App.

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