The Australian Burger Chain Grill’d Jokes About Oscar Piastri’s 'Curse' After an Unexpected Promotion Change
In the world of Formula 1, where fortunes can change in an instant, even lighthearted jokes can spark strong opinions. Recently, Australian fast-food giant Grill’d found themselves in the middle of a playful yet controversial moment by poking fun at driver Oscar Piastri’s recent struggles, specifically referencing a supposed 'curse' they joked they inadvertently created.
To give some context, Piastri, a promising young talent, has seen a challenging season. His 2025 campaign started brightly, adding seven wins to his tally—building on his previous successes at the Hungarian and Azerbaijan Grand Prix—and he initially led the Drivers' Championship ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix. However, a fifth-place finish in Mexico, combined with Norris’s victory, caused him to drop behind his teammate in the standings. Subsequent races in São Paulo proved tough: Piastri scored another fifth place but suffered a surprising retirement during the Sprint Race, while Norris once again claimed the race win. As a result, Piastri found himself 24 points behind Norris, with no podium finishes in the last five races—a statistic that some companies found amusing.
In response, Grill’d revamped their promotional approach linked to Piastri. Originally, the deal promised a free burger with any OP81 burger purchase if Piastri managed to reach the podium—that is, finish in the top three. Since he hadn’t achieved this since the Italian Grand Prix in September, the promotion was now adjusted to be awarded after any race, regardless of Piastri’s finishing position, essentially making it a humorous acknowledgment of his recent form.
Adding fuel to the fire, Grill’d took to Instagram with a lighthearted but cheeky message, saying:
"To everyone who believes in the 'curse'—we’d like to apologize. To you and all F1 fans, we never intended to create a burger so irresistibly good it could influence racing history. So, yes, we’re sorry. Sorry if our burgers are that addictive. We’re okay with jokes about curses, but let’s be honest—we’d never bet against Oscar Piastri. He’s a true Aussie hero, and we’re always in his corner. Today, tomorrow, and forever, we’ve got your back, Oscar. Team Grill’d."
This playful post exemplifies how brands can engage with trending topics, even controversial ones, to connect with their audience in an amusing way.
Meanwhile, the title race continues with three races remaining—Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi—each representing a critical opportunity for the drivers to secure the championship. Norris is currently leading with 390 points, closely followed by Piastri with 366 and Verstappen with 341. The standings imply that Norris has considerable room to cement his lead with consistent top finishes, but the fight remains tight, and every race could change the entire outcome.
As Norris maintains a significant advantage—three successive second-place finishes—his current lead stands at 451 points, just ahead of Piastri’s 449 and Verstappen’s 424. The upcoming races will be pivotal, and fans are eager to see if Piastri can turn his season around or if Verstappen will make a late surge.
And this is where it gets interesting: some believe that Piastri’s struggles are part of a 'curse,' while others think it’s simply a rough patch—a natural part of competitive racing. Do you believe in such curses, or do they just make for good stories? Will Norris secure the championship with ease, or can Verstappen and Piastri still throw a wrench in the works? Share your thoughts below—controversies are what make F1 discussions exciting!
