Piastri and McLaren: Why did the driver miss the celebration?

Piastri’s Absence from McLaren Celebration Sparks Speculation

Following McLaren’s victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, the world of motorsports turned to social media. The absence of Oscar Piastri, leader of the drivers’ championship, on the celebration podium raised questions. Piastri finished in fourth place, behind his teammate and rival, Lando Norris. Despite not being on the podium, the result was enough for McLaren to mathematically secure their constructors’ championship. The race was marked by controversy. Norris overtook Piastri on the first lap, almost causing an accident. Piastri expressed his frustration with the maneuver.

That’s not fair. I’m sorry, that’s not fair. If he has to avoid [Verstappen] by crashing into his teammate, that’s a pretty bad job of avoiding.

Oscar Piastri

This incident reduced Piastri’s lead in the drivers’ championship to three points. After the podium ceremony for the top three finishers, an unusual celebration took place in which the McLaren team invaded the podium. As “We Are The Champions” by Queen played, Norris was joined by team principal Andrea Stella, McLaren CEO Zak Brown, and most of the team to celebrate the achievement. The absence of Piastri led to speculation. However, the reality was less dramatic. Pilots must follow a specific protocol after the race. The top three do television interviews, then go to the cool-down room, and finally to the podium. Drivers outside the podium, like Piastri, must go directly to the FIA scales and then to the press zone. It is common for drivers who finish outside the podium to be interviewed while the podium celebration is taking place. The rules are strict. An example was Lewis Hamilton, who was penalized and could not return to the press area. Piastri, finishing fourth, followed the protocol. His absence on the podium was due to these regulations. Piastri joined McLaren for the celebration the team had planned: a photo in the pit-lane with both drivers, the team, and Stella. An additional absence in the photo was CEO Brown, who had already left the circuit. Brown expressed his satisfaction before leaving: “Job done. See you in Austin.” The United States Grand Prix is one of the six remaining races of the 2025 season. Piastri leads Norris by 22 points in the drivers’ championship. Both drivers aim to be the first McLaren champion since 2008.