Australian Burger Company Responds After Putting 'Curse' On Oscar Piastri

2025 has been Oscar Piastri's breakout year, adding seven more wins to his victories last season at the Hungarian and Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Leading the Drivers' Championship heading into the Mexico City Grand Prix, a fifth-placed finish meant that team-mate Lando Norris overtook him in the standings thanks to his win and left the 24-year-old trailing.

Another P5 in São Paolo, plus a shock retirement in the Sprint Race and Norris claiming race victory again, means that Piastri is now 24 points adrift in the championship and has not scored a podium in five races, a fact that one company saw the funny side of.

Aussie burger chain Grill’d pokes fun at Oscar Piastri ‘curse’ after partnership mishap

Oscar Piastri has been a McLaren driver since 2023, and has picked up 24 podiums along the way - but none in his last five races. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Fast food chain Grill'd recently made a big change to their promotional deal involving Oscar Piastri that was previously offered, with the offer having been a free complementary burger with any OP81 burger order if the Aussie managed to finish on the podium, which he has not achieved since September in the Italian Grand Prix.

The promotion now applies after the youngster finishes a Grand Prix, regardless of whether he does or does not finish in the top three of any given race.

Grill'd also took to Instagram to make light of the rut that Piastri is going through, with the post reading:

"To everyone who believes in the 'curse' - we'd like to apologise. To you, and to F1 fans everywhere. We never meant to create a burger so delicious it could change the course of F1 history.

"So yes, we're sorry. Sorry our burgers slap that hard. Sure, we can take a joke about a curse - but let's be real, we'd never bet against a guy like Oscar Piastri. He's out homegrown Aussie hero, and we'll always be in his corner.

"Today, tomorrow, and forever, we've got your back, Oscar. Team Grill'd."
Grill'd's post on Piastri

There are still three races left for the McLaren duo to battle it out for the title, though, with a triple-header consisting of Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi being the crunch point for both. Meanwhile, the faintest bit of hope remains for Max Verstappen to deliver the Drivers' title to both himself and Red Bull.

MORE: George Russell Exposes The Shocking Price Tag To Make It In Formula 1

With Norris first in the standings on 390 points, Piastri second on 366, and Verstappen third on 341, Norris is offered significant leeway on his performances over the coming weeks, with three successive second places to end the season being enough to win the title regardless of what Piastri and Verstappen do.

Driver	Points
Lando Norris (with three successive P2s)	451
Oscar Piastri (with three successive wins)	449
Max Verstappen (with three successive wins)	424

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