Following McLaren’s victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, the team’s celebration on the podium generated surprise due to the absence of Oscar Piastri, who leads the drivers’ championship.
Piastri finished in fourth place, behind his teammate and championship rival, Lando Norris. Although this result mathematically guaranteed the constructors’ championship for McLaren, Piastri’s absence sparked speculation.
A Controversial Grand Prix
The race was marked by a controversial incident. Norris overtook Piastri on the first lap, almost causing the Australian driver to crash into the wall. Piastri expressed his frustration with the maneuver.
That’s not fair.
Oscar Piastri
Norris’s maneuver reduced Piastri’s lead in the championship to just three points. After the podium ceremony, McLaren celebrated unexpectedly, with the race team invading the podium.
As “We Are The Champions” by Queen played, Norris joined team principal Andrea Stella, McLaren CEO Zak Brown, and most of the team to celebrate the achievement.
The Truth Behind the Absence
Piastri’s absence was due to post-race regulations. The top three finishers conduct television interviews immediately after getting out of their cars, while drivers outside the podium must go to the FIA scales and then to the press zone for interviews.
Piastri, finishing in fourth place, had to follow this protocol. It is common for drivers to conduct interviews while the winning team’s national anthem is playing.
The rules are strict, and often the drivers who must appear before the stewards must first go to the press zone. An example was Lewis Hamilton, who was penalized with five seconds for exceeding the track limits.
Piastri, when questioned about the incident with Norris, stated that he needed to analyze it in detail before commenting.
Subsequently, Piastri joined McLaren for the planned celebration in the pit lane, although CEO Zak Brown had already left the circuit.
Brown, before leaving, commented: “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 become McLaren’s first champion since 2008.
