Oscar Piastri F1 News: Restaurant apologises after FREE burger deal puts 'curse' on Australian star

Oscar Piastri smiles as burgers fall around his head — Photo: © IMAGO

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Restaurant apologises after FREE burger deal puts 'curse' on Oscar Piastri

The one where another brand milks F1 for all that engagement goodness

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 14 November 2025 21:55

Australian burger chain Grill’d has issued a tongue-in-cheek apology on social media after ‘changing F1 history’ with their free Oscar Piastri burger deal.

At one stage of the 2025 F1 season it looked as if Piastri had written the letter, sealed the envelope and licked the stamp on his first ever drivers’ title, sitting 34 points clear of team-mate Lando Norris after his DNF at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Two months and six grands prix later, Piastri hasn’t claimed another race win and is now 24 points behind Norris with only three rounds remaining.

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There is probably a rational explanation behind this decline in form, Norris has found that extra gear and ability in the car leaving Piastri in his wake, but this won’t do for F1 fans.

No, they need an implausible conspiracy theory that could just be perceived as true due to a wild coincidence. Enter Grill’d stage left.

Undone not by a Brit but a burger

In September, so confident regarding Piastri’s form, it was announced that the burger brand were giving out free bonus burger coupons every Monday that Piastri had managed to claim a podium.

Since then, the Aussie has either DNF'd or finished fourth or fifth in a race, with no podium in sight for Piastri. The conclusion? He’s been cursed!

Naturally the theory gained traction on social media, to the point where Grill’d themselves released a mock apology at their impact on Piastri’s F1 title chances, in what has materialised into an even greater marketing ploy than originally envisioned. The lesson? Capitalism always wins.

"To everyone who believes in the ‘Curse’, we’d like to apologise. To you and to F1 fans everywhere," they wrote on Instagram.

"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 our homegrown Aussie hero, and we’ll always be in his corner.

"Today, tomorrow and forever - we’ve got your back, Oscar. Team Grill’d."

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