The Woking-based squad gathered at the McLaren Technology Centre last weekend to celebrate a landmark 2025 campaign, following the FIA Awards gala where the team collected its trophies after securing both world titles in the same season for the first time since 1998.
Piastri was first to address staff during the celebration, delivering a reflective speech on a season that saw him lead the drivers’ championship for much of the year before ultimately finishing third behind teammate and champion Lando Norris.
The Australian thanked the workforce for navigating what he described as a rollercoaster campaign filled with highs and lows.
“I think only the people in this room know all of the emotions that went into this year,” Piastri said.
“Not just the stats. All the hard work, the pride, the disappointment at times, the frustration, the intensity. What else is there? The determination we had, the relentlessness, and I think the enjoyment and the happiness that’s come from this season. So, thank you very much for all of that.”
oscar piastri your humour is so dry but i still laugh every time 😭😂 pic.twitter.com/aZTVqcKTIq
— Barb||105🏆|| LN1 🏆 (@F1barb_444) December 15, 2025
After setting a serious tone, Piastri pivoted to humour by referencing one of McLaren’s most painful moments of the year, its double disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where both cars were excluded for excessive plank wear.
“I think this year’s been pretty tiring at points. And I think it’s worn us pretty thin … not quite as thin as our planks in Las Vegas.
“We can laugh about it now.”
That weekend in Las Vegas proved pivotal in the title fight, with Norris losing a second-place finish and Piastri fourth, allowing Max Verstappen to claw back significant points in the championship battle.
Later in the evening, McLaren CEO Brown took to the stage and delivered a series of jokes aimed at both drivers, footage of which has since circulated widely on social media.
zak brown: “we took big risks on both of you. and don’t pretend you had better options, you had fucking alpine!”
WHAT IS THIS SPEECH BY ZAK I’M IN TEARS pic.twitter.com/vHooXLp4om
— ari (@laurogeitabat) December 14, 2025
Brown referenced the risks McLaren took in committing to Norris and signing Piastri, whose move to the team followed a highly publicised split from Alpine.
“We took big risks on both of you, and don’t pretend you had better options,” Brown said.
Pointing at Piastri, he added: “You had f***ing Alpine,” before turning to Norris and joking: “And you had to be faster than Stoffel Vandoorne.”
Brown continued his playful roast with further quips about working with the pair and their relationship with team principal Andrea Stella.
“I couldn’t dream of having a better driver lineup on and off the track,” he added.
zak brown: “what i really wanna do is mess up lando’s hair right now but i’m gonna dare oscar and see how big his balls really are”
SO THAT’S HOW IT HAPPENED 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/LAggUzYXed
— ari (@laurogeitabat) December 14, 2025
“Two fastest guys in the world and nicest. That’s the McLaren way. Proper racers like us, which stands for how we race. You guys are almost a unicorn combo.
“Then again, maybe we’ll be up here next year saying, ‘f*** that guy.’
“Anyways. Won’t come to that. Both drivers love me, idolise me, and call me ‘Big Daddy’ behind my back.
“Reality is they’ll mess with me, but they won’t mess with Andrea [Stella] ‘cause, deep down inside, they’re scared shitless of Andrea.”
Brown later joked about Norris’ carefully styled hair, daring Piastri to ruffle it in front of the crowd after FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem had done so at the FIA Awards.
“What I really wanna do is mess up Lando’s hair right now, but I’m gonna dare Oscar and see how big his balls really are!” he said.
Norris won his inaugural drivers’ championship by two points over Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi season finale, while McLaren secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore, finishing 364 points clear of Mercedes at the end of the season.
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