Oscar Piastri Gets a 98-Million-Year-Old Wasp Species Named After Him

A fossil wasp trapped in amber for 98 million years now carries the name of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. The species, Gwesped piastrii, was formally described in the journal Palaeoworld by Oxford researcher Corentin Jouault and colleagues — turning a lighthearted pub bet into a permanent scientific tribute.

Why it matters:

This isn't just a random naming. It shows how deep F1 fandom runs even in the most unexpected professions, and gives Piastri a unique place in the fossil record. For fans, it's a permanent connection between the sport and natural history.

The details:

• Jouault, a lifelong F1 fan, jokingly pledged to name a new species after Piastri during a debate with colleagues over who deserved the 2025 title.
• Months later, while studying amber fossils at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, he found an unusual wasp. Detailed taxonomic analysis confirmed it was a new species from an extinct lineage dating to the age of dinosaurs.
• The name “piastrii” follows zoological rules: the suffix “-i” is added to a surname ending in “i”, resulting in two “i”s.
• The orange amber reminded Jouault of McLaren's papaya livery, and he also nodded to Brazil's F1 heritage via co-author Celso Azevedo.

Between the lines:

• Jouault admires Piastri's calm, professional driving since his rookie season, and found a natural link to the “PiastriHive” fan community (bees are a type of wasp).
• McLaren and Piastri responded with humorous social media posts, catching Jouault off guard as he received a flood of notifications.
• The discovery occurred alongside Piastri's strong 2025 campaign, making the timing feel “perfect” to Jouault.

What's next:

Jouault said naming species after people should remain exceptional. If he ever does it again for an F1 driver, he might choose a French legend like Alain Prost — but for now, the joke-turned-reality has given Piastri a 98-million-year legacy.