Motor racing-No shoey for Australia's latest F1 winner

By Alan Baldwin

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Oscar Piastri followed in the footsteps of Daniel Ricciardo as Australia's latest Formula One winner in Hungary on Sunday but the McLaren driver will go his own way when it comes to celebration.

Ricciardo, who won in Hungary in 2014 and whose most recent triumph at Monza in 2021 was also a McLaren one-two, has had no occasion of late to perform his trademark podium swig from a sweaty shoe.

There will be no handover of the boot.

"The shoey is Danny Ric’s thing," Piastri told reporters after the McLaren one-two.

"I mean, I'm going to get roped into it because I'm an Aussie, but I don't know. I'll try and think of something new. No, I think that's gone and done.

"I know we did one at Silverstone last week, but I think we were a bit upset after the race there, so we needed some cheering up. Maybe we'll do one in the plane on the way back. We can probably pay the cleaning fee now.

"But no, I'll leave that to Danny Ric and that can be his legacy. I'll create my own."

Sunday's win ticked another box for the 23-year-old after his first race, first podium and a sprint race pole and win in Qatar as a rookie last year.

"It's something I've dreamed of since I was a kid. You know, we've had a couple of opportunities through the last few races that we've come very close. Now to make it happen is an incredible feeling," he said.

"This is much more of a proud moment for me than winning the sprint. Of course, it was a special moment at the time, but now to have no questions, no question marks over whether I'm a race winner or not is a very nice feeling to have."

The win marked a huge step for a young driver whose career could have taken a very different turn had he stayed at Renault-owned Alpine, the team who wanted him to replace Fernando Alonso for 2023 but lost out to McLaren.

Alpine are languishing in eighth place in the championship and have scored only nine points in 13 races -- a fraction of Piastri's haul on Sunday alone.

The Australian paid tribute to mentor and manager Mark Webber, winner of nine races with Red Bull between 2009-12.

"His influence has been massive on so many levels," he said.

"I've said a few times, his hindsight of his career is my foresight.

"And he can keep me out of a few traps, a few holes that maybe he experienced in his career. His influence there is incredibly important."

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)