McLaren boss Zak Brown couldn’t resist the brutal exclusion of Oscar Piastri’s former F1 employer Alpine.
Talking at McLaren’s end-of-season get together after successful each the drivers’ and constructors’ world championships, Brawn made a nasty joke about Alpine and one among his former drivers, Stoffel Vandoorne.
Brown first grew to become curious about Alpine, which was embroiled in a messy authorized tangle involving McLaren in its bid to amass Piastri’s companies for the 2023 season.
The matter was referred to F1’s Contract Certification Committee, which dominated that the then reigning F2 champion had a sound contract with McLaren, and Piastri subsequently made his Grand Prix debut with the Woking group.
“We put you each at nice danger. Do not faux you had higher choices,” Brown stated.
“You fucked Alpine,” he stated, pointing to Piastri, earlier than turning to Lando Norris and persevering with: “And also you needed to be quicker than Stoffel Vandoorne.”
The latter joke was in reference to the truth that Norris changed the underperforming Vandoorne within the 2019 F1 season.
Regardless of McLaren’s uncompetitive automobile, Vandoorne solely managed 12 factors whereas teammate Fernando Alonso scored 50 factors.
McLaren completed sixth within the constructors’ championship that yr.
Vandoorne moved to Formulation E and received the all-electric championship with Mercedes in 2022.
McLaren had a lot to rejoice in 2025 as they efficiently defended their constructors’ championship and Norris received his first drivers’ title.
Brown has popped within the Alpine earlier than.
This isn’t the primary time Brown has changed Alpine.
Going again to 2022, Brown stated then-Alpine chief Otmar Szafnauer’s public feedback through the Piastri contract scandal made him appear “a bit ridiculous”.
“Till the CRB ruling, they did not know what they did not know, and we have been deliberately protecting quiet,” Brown stated on the time.
“Now that the decision and among the particulars are out, I believe it is clear what occurred.
“So we knew there was going to be a number of noise, however we knew that the reality would finally come out and we might get via it, versus giving dwell commentary.
“On the time, we did not ignore the noise or among the direct message notes we obtained from followers. However now we’re very relieved that the CRB ruling has come out, and it’s extremely clear.”
