Piastri finished second behind Max Verstappen in the season finale, a result that kept him third in the final standings and ended his outside shot at the title.
With Lando Norris securing the championship by finishing third, the cool-down lap at Yas Marina featured contrasting emotions across the McLaren camp.
As Piastri’s race engineer Tom Stallard began consoling him over the radio, Brown cut in with an enthusiastic message celebrating the driver’s year.
“What a season, what a season. You’re a star. Seven wins. We love ya. We’ll do it again next year. Thank you, Oscar, for everything you’ve done. What a year,” he said.
“Oscar, very proud of you. Awesome. What a team player. We go again next year. See you on the podium.”
oscar’s radio after the race 🙁 pic.twitter.com/IihQI7Aot8
— lex ★ #LN1 (@ilylandoscar) December 7, 2025
Brown’s comments – delivered shortly after he had congratulated Norris on becoming world champion – were immediately noted by observers, including Rosberg, who felt the moment required more sensitivity.
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Speaking on Sky Sports F1, Rosberg described the timing as difficult for Piastri, calling the situation “his most horrible moment in his racing career.”
“Maybe Zak could have had a little more empathy there, rather than celebrating,” he said.
“He could have said, ‘Next year will be your year,’ but it’s difficult for Zak because he’s so ecstatic at the same time.”
Piastri entered the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix still mathematically alive in the title race, though requiring both Verstappen and Norris to hit trouble.
He made an aggressive start, overtaking Norris on the opening lap, and McLaren attempted an offset strategy to give him a late-race opportunity.
But Verstappen controlled the race from the front, and Piastri ultimately settled into a secure second place.
Despite the disappointment, Piastri’s post-race conduct was calm and measured.
He congratulated Norris’ family in parc ferme and said later that he was satisfied with his own performance, even if the end of the season had been challenging as Verstappen closed a deficit of more than 100 points to rejoin the title fight.
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