Just In: Oscar Piastri Signs Mid-Season Deal — But It’s Not With M...read more

McLaren star Oscar Piastri has signed a contract halfway through the 2025 season… just not with his current F1 team.

Australian Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri has made headlines once again, not for his performance on the racetrack, but for a surprising off-track move. While many anticipated a potential contract extension or upgrade with his team, McLaren, the 24-year-old has instead signed a mid-season deal with prestigious international modelling agency IMG Models.

Piastri has been enjoying his most successful F1 season to date since debuting with McLaren in 2023. Currently leading the drivers’ championship by a narrow eight-point margin over his teammate Lando Norris, the young Aussie has shown consistency, composure, and competitiveness throughout the first half of the 2025 season. Despite the tight battle at the top, McLaren has maintained a neutral stance, opting not to name a lead driver between its two rising stars.

The recent British Grand Prix at Silverstone — round 12 of the season — proved to be a turning point. Racing in front of a home crowd, Norris secured his first-ever win at Silverstone, relegating Piastri to a hard-fought second place and cutting into the Australian’s championship lead. While Piastri handled the loss with professionalism, the result was a tough blow in what has been an intensely fought title race.

However, Piastri’s spirits may be lifted by a major personal milestone off the track. The Melbourne-born driver has officially signed with IMG Models — one of the most prominent modelling agencies in the world. The move signals Piastri’s growing ambition to expand his brand beyond motorsport, leveraging his rising global profile to explore opportunities in fashion, endorsements, and media.

IMG Models, founded in 1987 by legendary sports agent Mark McCormack, operates under the philosophy that talent in fashion should be nurtured and represented just like elite athletes. The agency boasts a powerhouse roster that includes international icons such as Gigi and Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, and Patrick Schwarzenegger. Piastri joins fellow athletes like British tennis player Jack Draper in this crossover between sports and lifestyle branding.

With offices across major fashion capitals — New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Milan, and Sydney — IMG Models is expected to open doors for Piastri in both the commercial and editorial fashion worlds. While his modelling experience is still in its early stages, Piastri received praise for his editorial debut in Esquire Australia during the summer of 2024, which caught the attention of talent scouts.

As he continues to chase F1 championship glory on the track, Piastri now also embarks on a new journey off it — one that could shape him into a prominent figure in both sports and fashion.