Veteran Hopes Piastri Can End Australia's 43-Year Home Podium Drought

John Smith, the last Australian to finish on the podium at his home Grand Prix in 1983, finds it "intriguing" his record still stands after 43 years and 42 subsequent races. He watched Oscar Piastri come agonizingly close last year before a late spin, and now hopes the young star can finally rewrite the history books this weekend in Melbourne, though he jokes about clinging to his glory for one more year.

Why it matters:

A home podium is a rare and cherished achievement in Formula 1, symbolizing a driver's peak performance in front of their most passionate supporters. For Australia, a nation with a rich motorsport history and current top-tier talent, this prolonged drought highlights the immense challenge of converting speed and opportunity into a top-three finish on the sport's biggest stage.

The details:

• The Record Holder: John Smith finished second at the 1983 Australian Grand Prix at Calder Park, driving a privately entered Ralt RT4 in what was then a Formula Pacific "pro-am" event before it joined the F1 World Championship.
• The Near-Misses: Since Smith's podium, the best results by Australians at their home GP have been fourth place (Alfredo Costanzo in 1984, Mark Webber in 2012, Daniel Ricciardo in 2016 & 2018). Ricciardo famously finished second on the road in 2014 but was later disqualified.
• The 1983 Battle: Smith qualified third and took the lead at the start. After a race-long fight, he held off relentless pressure from F1 veteran Jacques Laffite, beating him to the line by a nose on the final lap to secure second behind winner Roberto Moreno.
• A Different Era: Smith emphasizes that era allowed local privateers with modest budgets to compete wheel-to-wheel with F1 stars in equal machinery—an opportunity that vanished when the race became a formal F1 World Championship round in 1985.
• Piastri's Chance: Smith specifically noted Piastri's strong run in 2025 that ended with a spin from second place, seeing him as the current driver most likely to end the drought.

What's next:

All eyes will be on Oscar Piastri this weekend at Albert Park to see if he can finally break the 43-year curse. With a competitive McLaren underneath him, the opportunity is tangible. Smith, now 76 and a paraplegic after a 2012 accident, will be watching closely, rooting for a new chapter in Australian motorsport while humorously admitting a part of him wouldn't mind holding the record a little longer.