Since Oscar Piastri stepped foot into Formula 1 this season, he’s been on a roll. Well, at least ever since McLaren’s miraculous turnaround. He hasn’t put one foot wrong. Yes, he’s had his lows, but his highs far outweigh them. If you think about it, 2023 for Piastri has been quite similar to the Australian Cricket Team’s season. They won the World Test Championship, followed it up by retaining the Ashes, and most recently, won a record-extending sixth World Cup title. So, Piastri thought, ‘Why not pay tribute to the team at the Abu Dhabi GP?’

Rounding off his rookie season at the finale in Abu Dhabi, Oscar Piastri strode into the paddock, dressed to impress. Impress everyone other than Karun Chandhok—the F1 pundit he made a proposition to. Why wouldn’t he have, considering his team went against the odds and emerged victorious? 

Oscar Piastri painted the Abu Dhabi GP paddock yellow

Leading up to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Final, Australia was on an 8-match winning streak. Its opponent—and favorite to win the title—India was on a 10-match winning streak. Considering everyone expected India to win, Australia left almost the entire Indian population speechless, winning by a staggering 6 wickets. Someone who was anything but speechless was Piastri. After the win, the McLaren driver wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Want you entering the Abu Dhabi paddock in an Aussie cricket top please @karunchandhok. Only fair 😜🏏”

Karun Chandhok may not have done what Piastri asked, but the Aussie rookie made up for it by doing it himself. He posted a picture of himself on X, walking into the paddock flaunting an Australian Cricket jersey. But it wasn’t an ordinary, run-of-the-mill $31 one. Piastri wrote, “Bowled up to the paddock like this today🏏 🏆. 🙏 @BrettLee_58, for your 2003 WC shirt.” It was one of the many shirts Australian legend and fast bowler Brett Lee wore when he was part of the Australian team that won the 2003 World Cup. 

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Considering his net worth is around $11 million, you can imagine that Brett Lee wasn’t just any ordinary bowler. And he was one Piastri undeniably looked up to. Having grown up in Melbourne, just minutes away from the Melbourne Cricket Ground, cricket has been almost a constant in Piastri’s life. Since then, he’s watched his country’s team lift the trophy four times, the first of which was the 2003 title. How priceless would Brett Lee’s jersey be to Piastri? 

7 Days After Australia’s Thrilling Triumph Over England, Oscar Piastri Impresses Pat Cummins & Co. In the Nets

While Piastri has watched Australia lift the World Cup four times since 2001, Karun Chandhok has gotten that experience with India only once since he was born in 1984. Well, Piastri didn’t let the opportunity to further pull Chandhok’s leg.

Karun Chandhok escaped Piastri’s proposition but not his teasing

If there’s one thing Oscar Piastri is known for other than his racing talent, it’s his witty humor on social media. Or rather, his social media activity in general. Isn’t that how his F1 career practically started? Alpine released a statement on X saying he’d drive for the team in 2023, and who could forget his response after that? Since then, he’s kept up his X game, and it’s come to good use in the past few days, especially to tease Karun Chandhok.

When Piastri asked Chandhok to come to the Abu Dhabi GP paddock in an Australian jersey, the Indian commentator replied, “I am so so glad that Vegas was my final race of the season 😂😂 Incredible innings by Travis Head 🤯” Travis Head, with his 137 runs of 120 balls, almost single-handedly took Australia to victory. After his Australian jersey flaunting, Piastri replied to Chandhok with another picture of himself in the jersey, writing, “Shame you’re not here, mate. We could have matched 😉” 

Do you think Oscar Piastri can channel Australia’s record-extending win onto the track in Abu Dhabi? It’ll sure help McLaren seal P4 in the Constructors’ Championship.

WATCH THIS STORY | How Oscar Piastri Has Made a Scintillating Rise to the Pinnacle of Motorsport