98-million-year-old wasp species named after F1 driver Oscar Piastri

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Oscar Piastri, the Formula 1 driver, has a newly discovered 98-million-year-old wasp species named after him. But the story behind the naming is even more interesting than the honor itself.

While studying a small, fossilized wasp trapped in Burmese amber, the main researcher noticed something unusual about the amber’s color.

According to a study published in Palaeoworld in June 2026, the species was named in honor of the McLaren Formula 1 driver because the preserved amber reminded the lead researcher of the team’s distinctive orange color.

Oscar Piastri gets a prehistoric namesake

This tiny wasp, just 2.3 millimeters long, is an extinct species from a group called Lancepyrinae. It lived during the middle of the Cretaceous period, about 98 million years ago.

For 98 million years, she was perfectly preserved within a piece of amber, alongside some plant hairs. It’s not a fancy display, but it kept her safe.

The newly discovered species, called Gwesped piastrii, differs from its nearest relative by having more segments on its flagellum and a unique pattern of veins in its front wings.

The report also mentioned Oscar Piastri’s success in Formula 1 as a reason for choosing the name. It even noted the name should be used as a possessive, which is an unusual level of grammatical detail for something like a championship trophy.

Piastri has not commented publicly on his prehistoric namesake.

For those who enjoy unusual F1 happenings, Max Verstappen jokingly likened the sport to Mario Kart following recent rule changes. Meanwhile, earlier this year, Oscar Piastri unintentionally ignored Brad Pitt while filming the F1 movie – and there was a perfectly good explanation!

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2026-05-28 18:18