Oscar Piastri on His Pre-Race Ritual, Self-Care Practices, and Must-Have Products
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Oscar Piastri has made his mark in the Formula 1 grid racing for McLaren in his first two years, following his championship wins in Formula 2 and 3. In his rookie year, he scored his first F1 podium in the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, and he continues to impress. This year, he secured his first two wins in F1, placing first at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix so far.
Growing up, Piastri always had a competitive spirit, and with his family's background in the automotive industry, his love for racing blossomed. "I started racing remote control cars first at about six years old, and then when I was nine or 10, I went to go-karts. Once I drove a go-kart, I knew I loved it, and just wanted to keep going from there."
Piastri's pre-race ritual includes balancing race expectations, like the driver's parade, with getting his body ready. "I normally do the same warm-up before each race and session; just some skipping, some resistance band stuff, getting my neck warmed up. But if it's a hot race, I do an ice bath too," he says. Although he doesn't listen to music before a race, he listens to house music whenever he wants to hype himself up.
With intense driving conditions and a busy schedule of constant travel, Piastri practices self-care by catching up on sleep. "It's tricky, especially with all the traveling and trying to get used to the time zones. Trying to get as much sleep as I can — when I can — is important," he says. Luckily for him, he can fall asleep anywhere. "There's not really a trick, I just have an innate ability to do it."
Racing is also a mental sport, and Piastri has learned to control the things he can and not worry about the things he can't. "I think it's human nature to be worried about everything going on. But if you boil it down to the things you can control and can't, the problems become a lot smaller. Then, you can put things into action and try to solve them. There's a lot of uncontrollable things in racing, and it's the same in life," he says.
As F1 races across the Americas in the latter half of the season, Piastri is checking off his bucket list, including getting a pair of cowboy boots and indulging in authentic barbecue. Ahead, he shares his current must-have products, including his go-to protein powder and travel essentials.
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Oscar Piastri's Affordable Must Have
Although he's a light packer, Piastri makes sure he has a foam roller ($8) on hand for muscle recovery. "I'll try to stretch my muscles out a little bit, especially with all the travel we have, just getting moving a little bit is always nice," he says.
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Oscar Piastri's Investment Must Have
"I've got a Google Pixel Tablet ($399) that I have games on," he says. Piastri also uses the tablet to stay on top of his game with race weekend prep. The Google Pixel Tablet is powered for work and play with a vivid 11-inch screen for watching movies and TV shows, editing and displaying pictures, and more. It's equipped with Google's powerful Tensor G2 chip and powered by Google AI that helps with multitasking, including accurate voice typing, controlling your smart home, and so much more.
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Oscar Piastri's Morning Routine Must Have
Piastri fuels up for intense races and workouts with the Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Plant Based Protein Powder ($35). "Because whey protein doesn't agree with me very well, I prefer plant-based protein powders, and the chocolate flavor from Optimum Nutrition is very, very good," he says. It contains 24 grams of plant-based protein per serving derived from peas, rice, and fava beans. It's formulated to provide muscle support and recovery with nine essential amino acids / BCAAs and zero grams of sugar. The protein shake is his post-gym snack, and he even takes it to all his races for a post-race pick-me-up. "Chocolate is my go-to flavor," Piastri says.
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Oscar Piastri's Sleep Must Have
"My nighttime routine's pretty relaxed. I jump in the shower and then go to bed, there's nothing too fancy about it," Piastri says, noting that he likes to keep it simple and prep for the next day. "Because I always need to have my phone charged for the morning, a phone charger is always important before going to bed," he says. He uses the Google 30W USB-C Charger and Cable ($35) to fuel his devices for his busy day ahead. This charger is compatible with his other Google devices, along with other devices equipped with a USB-C port.
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Oscar Piastri's Travel Must Have
"Noise-canceling headphones are a must have for all the flying. Getting rid of the engine noises makes it much more pleasant and quieter," says Piastri. Although he has several favorites in his rotation, he's currently using the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 ($229). These noise-canceling earbuds are designed to offer a comfortable fit. They have a twist stabilizer to lock the earbuds in place during workouts and feature up to 30 hours of playtime with active noise-cancelation mode.
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Anvita Reddy (she/her) is an assistant editor for PS Shopping. She has a passion for products and reviews home gadgets, cookware, tech, and more. Having dealt with acne as a teenager and into adulthood, her expertise lies in beauty. She tests skin care, makeup, and hair care, plus countless other beauty products.