Wasp species named after F1 driver Oscar Piastri from 98 million years ago
Motorsport.com • 1 min read • Latest: May 28, 2026, 6:07 PM
Last updated May 28, 2026

Biologists Corentin Jouault, Di-Ying Huang, and Celso O. Azevedo have named a new wasp species after McLaren F1 driver Oscar Piastri. The species is based on a 98-million-year-old fossil discovered in Myanmar, providing insights into its evolution and morphological features. The research highlights the connection between this ancient wasp and modern species, reflecting on the diversity of wasps in the Cretaceous Period. The findings emphasize the ongoing study of prehistoric insects and their relevance to contemporary biology.
- •New wasp species named after Oscar Piastri.
- •Fossil is 98 million years old, discovered in Myanmar.
- •Research highlights morphological similarities to modern wasps.
- •Study conducted by three biologists.
- 8:41 AMMotorsport.com — The amusing story of how a scientist F1 fan named a wasp after Oscar Piastri
- 6:07 PMMotorsport.com — Researchers name 98-million year old wasp species after Oscar Piastri
"If McLaren driver Oscar Piastri having a 98-million-year-old wasp species named after him sounds like an elaborate inside joke, then that's pretty much how it started. Oxford research fellow Corentin Jouault and his colleagues Prof. Di-Ying Huang and Prof. Celso O. Azevedo recently conducted research on a 98-year-old wasp fossil from the Cretaceous Period, encountered in Myanmar amber. They ...Keep reading
"Three biologists have named a newly-discovered wasp species after McLaren F1 driver Oscar Piastrii. Corentin Jouault, Di-Ying Huang and Celso O. Azevedo conducted research on a 98-year-old fossil from the Cretaceous Period, discovered in Myanmar, which gave them insight into the species' evolution and morphological similarities to other wasp species. The ancient wasp is encased in a ...Keep reading
Sources
External links- Motorsport.comMay 31, 2026, 8:41 AMThe amusing story of how a scientist F1 fan named a wasp after Oscar Piastri
If McLaren driver Oscar Piastri having a 98-million-year-old wasp species named after him sounds like an elaborate inside joke, then that's pretty much how it started. Oxford research fellow Corentin Jouault and his colleagues Prof. Di-Ying Huang and Prof. Celso O. Azevedo recently conducted research on a 98-year-old wasp fossil from the Cretaceous Period, encountered in Myanmar amber. They ...Keep reading
- Motorsport.comMay 28, 2026, 6:07 PMResearchers name 98-million year old wasp species after Oscar Piastri
Three biologists have named a newly-discovered wasp species after McLaren F1 driver Oscar Piastrii. Corentin Jouault, Di-Ying Huang and Celso O. Azevedo conducted research on a 98-year-old fossil from the Cretaceous Period, discovered in Myanmar, which gave them insight into the species' evolution and morphological similarities to other wasp species. The ancient wasp is encased in a ...Keep reading
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