Piastri booed for McLaren sledge at F1 party

On the same night his boss delivered a sledge-filled foul-mouthed speech, Oscar Piastri was booed for a joke he made about the McLaren double disqualification in Las Vegas.

Weeks after Lando Norris edged Piastri and Max Verstappen out to be crowned world champion, Mclaren hosted their own end of season celebrations.

Having also clinched the constructors championship for the second season in a row, there was plenty to toast.

Terrific performances from both drivers made 2025 one of McLaren's best seasons in its history, but it was soured by rumours of preferential treatment, internal rifts and team orders.

When Piastri, who has reportedly been on the receiving end of the less favourable treatment, made a joke at the event, he was jeered by the crowd.

"I think this year's been pretty tiring at points,” the Australian said. “I think it's worn us pretty thin...not quite as thin as our planks in Las Vegas however!"

His swipe was referencing a technical infringement that saw both McLaren cars rubbed out of the Nevada race last month due to excessive skid block wear on both cars.

The rear skid blocks investigated after being measured as less than 9mm which is in breach of regulations. It's the same issue that saw Lewis Hamilton excluded from the China GP earlier this season.

Skid blocks are mandated from running too low as it will give the car an unfair advantage from a speed perspective.

In an attempt to quell the boos, Piastri added: "We can laugh about it now.”

On the same night, Mclaren boss Zak Brown launched some brutal sledges in Piastri and Norris’ direction.

“We took big risks on both of you, and don’t pretend you had better options,” the American said.

“You (Piastri) had f--king Alpine, and you (Norris) had to go faster than Stoffel Vandoorne!” The latter sledge is aimed at Stoffel Vandoorne, a young F1 talent that famously fell out with Brown and was replaced by 18-year-old Norris for the 2019 season.

The reference to Alpine is a swipe at the team Piastri was contracted to drive for before a bombshell switch to McLaren to replace Daniel Ricciardo in 2022.

Brown then went on to reveal the bizarre nickname both drivers have for him.

"Couldn't dream of having a better driver line-up on and off the track. 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--k 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 s--tless of Andrea.”