Oscar Piastri makes history as he wins prestigious Australian sports award

Oscar Piastri has been named the 2025 recipient of The Don Award, Australia’s most prestigious sporting award designed to celebrate athletes who have inspired the nation.

With the Melburnian in the midst of a title fight, he received a positive boost in between races as he made Australian sporting history.

Oscar Piastri wins prestigious Australian sports award

The Don Award, named after Sir Don Bradman, is awarded each year to the sportsperson who has most inspired the nation during the previous 12 months.

For 2025 and his performances on the Formula 1 track, Piastri has been awarded the prize, becoming the first person from the world of motorsport to ever receive it.

Piastri was noted for not only his talent on the track but his demeanour off it with the 24-year-old often receiving praise for conducting himself as if he was a seasoned veteran.

He said: “Winning an award in the name of Sir Donald Bradman is a massive privilege.

“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. It’s always an amazing feeling to represent our country on the world stage and do well for ourselves.

“Thank you to everyone that waves the flag and cheers me on at all the Grand Prix races around the world. To be a recipient of The Don Award is a great honour, and I look forward to representing our country for many years to come.”

More on Piastri from PlanetF1.com

👉 Oscar Piastri told what he must do to get back to the level of Lando Norris as title bid fades
👉 Damon Hill identifies Piastri recovery key after Norris ‘found something’ in F1 title battle
👉 Oscar Piastri cites ‘other factors’ as F1 title slips away

Sport Australia Hall of Fame Selection Committee Chair Bruce McAvaney OAM said: “Every year we experience remarkable sporting moments and stories and the most compelling in 2025 has been 24-year-old Oscar Piastri. His rise across the past 12 months to become one of the most formidable and exciting drivers in F1, is nothing short of outstanding.

“It’s an elite and foreign world to most of us but we feel linked to this young man’s challenges and triumphs lived out in a spotlight that very few sports attract. His superb skill and sportsmanship are matched with a rare maturity and poise in an adrenaline-fuelled arena.”

Having accepted the award, Piastri now turns his attention back to the Formula 1 season and the goal to win a maiden World Championship. Heading into the final three races, he trails teammate Lando Norris by 24 points after enduring a tough run since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Speaking during his final trip of the year to the team’s factory, Piastri said he was looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

“All right, everyone, three races left to go in season,” he said. “It’s my final marketing day here at MTC for the year so the year is coming to a close.

“We’ve got three very important races to go, obviously, Vegas, Qatar, Abu Dhabi. Three very different races, one more sprint in Qatar to go so I’m looking forward to it.

“Excited to see how we do, see what happens and have some fun. So hopefully you guys are looking forward to it as well, and we’ll see you there.”

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