A fossil wasp species dating from the middle Cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago, has been named Gwesped Piastrii in honor of Formula One driver Oscar Piastri. [1, 2, 3]
The species was discovered preserved in Burmese amber found in northern Myanmar. [1, 2, 3] Researchers published the naming in the academic journal Palaeoworld on May 28, 2026. [1, 2]
The specific epithet "piastrii" honors the 25-year-old Australian racer for his achievements in Formula One, including nine Grand Prix wins since his 2023 debut. [1, 2, 3] The amber’s orange hue reminded the lead author of McLaren’s iconic team color, linking the fossil to Piastri’s current racing team. [2, 3]
At the time of the announcement, Piastri was attending the Isle of Man TT racing event during an off-week before preparing for the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, 2026. [1, 2, 3] He learned about the naming of the wasp over the weekend and expressed excitement about the tribute. [3]
Piastri’s 2026 F1 season has been mixed, with early struggles including failures to start the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix. However, he earned podium finishes in Japan and Miami. Most recently, he finished 11th at the Canadian Grand Prix after receiving a 10-second penalty for a collision with Alex Albon. [3]
The discovery of Gwesped Piastrii provides insight into the morphological diversity of wasps living in the Cretaceous and connects modern sports culture to paleontology through the amber’s orange color association. [3]
Piastri will next compete at the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, where he aims to improve his standing after a challenging start to the 2026 season. [1, 2, 3]
