Burger Chain Apologises for Piastri's Podium Drought
An Australian restaurant chain has issued a public apology after fans blamed its promotional campaign for hampering Oscar Piastri's Formula One championship ambitions. Grill'd burger chain had offered free burgers every time the McLaren driver reached the podium, but the promotion coincided with a dramatic downturn in the 24-year-old's fortunes.
Piastri has failed to finish in the top three since the promotion relaunched five races ago, during which time his teammate Lando Norris has seized the championship lead. The Australian's struggles reached a low point at the São Paulo Grand Prix on 9 November, where he crashed out of the sprint race before managing only fifth place in the main event.
Webber Backs Young Driver to Find 'Deep Motivations'
Piastri's manager, former F1 star Mark Webber, believes his charge must dig deep to salvage his 2025 campaign. With just three grand prix remaining and Norris leading by 24 points, the championship is slipping from Piastri's grasp, but Webber remains bullish about his driver's resilience.
"I don't think he's low on motivation, put it that way," Webber told Channel 4. "He's had a tough run, but this is about character, about finding those deep motivations that you need at this point to come back."
The nine-time grand prix winner, who narrowly missed the 2010 championship himself, emphasised the extraordinary nature of Piastri's achievements in only his third F1 season. Seven grand prix victories at this early stage represents unprecedented success for the young Australian.
Fan Pressure Forces Promotion U-Turn
As Piastri's podium drought continued, frustrated fans took to social media to demand Grill'd end what they perceived as a jinx. "Please stop this promotion and give us some hope for the last three races," pleaded one supporter on the chain's Facebook page.
The restaurant chain initially created the Piastri 81 Burger before March's Australian Grand Prix, with the driver's endorsement, following his strong podium finish in Italy and championship lead. However, his form deteriorated dramatically afterwards, featuring crashes, collisions and penalty points.
When Grill'd modified the offer to reward fans for race finishes rather than podiums, Piastri promptly crashed in Brazil. The chain has since apologised on social media, joking: "We never meant to create a burger so delicious it could change the course of F1 history."
Webber reflected on the different pressures facing his young driver compared to his own title challenge later in his career. "When I went for my championship, I was an old dog. He's early in his career, so there's different nuances there," he observed, while maintaining that Piastri's achievements should be celebrated regardless of the final championship outcome.
