The unusual McLaren celebration at Marina Bay sparked curiosity among fans. Initial footage from the end of the Singapore Grand Prix seemed to show Oscar Piastri absent from the Constructors’ Championship festivities, leaving Zak Brown and Andrea Stella to celebrate with the only podium-finishing driver, Lando Norris. In reality, the young Australian did join the celebrations after the race, smiling as the team marked McLaren’s second consecutive Constructors’ title. However, a small mystery emerged because the championship leader, who left Singapore with a 22-point advantage over his teammate, appeared somewhat disengaged immediately after the chequered flag.
Did Piastri really cut the radio while Brown spoke?
Fans watching F1TV, the official Formula 1 broadcast not available in Italy, noticed a moment of apparent frustration from the 24-year-old Melbourne driver. Seconds after crossing the finish line at the Singapore GP, Zak Brown spoke to Oscar Piastri on the radio, thanking him for his efforts in securing the title. Yet the communication seemed to abruptly cut off, giving the impression that Oscar Piastri had intentionally disconnected the radio, ending Brown’s message prematurely.
In reality, McLaren representatives explained to The Race that Oscar Piastri simply turned off the car as soon as it was parked in the pit lane, before he could hear Brown’s words. The apparent mid-message interruption (see video from 1:08) was caused by an audio-video transmission issue between the car and the international broadcast team.
The celebrations clarified
McLaren also clarified the post-race celebrations with The Race. Stella and Brown were able to take a commemorative photo with Lando Norris on the podium because they were explicitly invited into parc fermé, where usually only drivers and the interviewer are allowed, for immediate post-race comments about the Constructors’ title. The podium celebration, with Norris present and Oscar Piastri absent, was originally intended for team personnel only, without drivers. Some mechanics, however, brought Norris along from the traditional podium. Oscar Piastri was elsewhere in the paddock and could not join the celebrations in time.
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