A short video from the end of the Singapore Grand Prix has been widely shared on social media, showing Oscar Piastri appearing to unplug his steering wheel while McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown was speaking to him over the team radio. The clip led to a wave of speculation from fans, with many believing the Australian had deliberately cut off his boss after a frustrating race.

The footage was taken from an onboard camera in Piastri’s car, shortly after McLaren secured their second consecutive Constructors’ Championship. In the video, Brown can be heard saying: “Oscar, back-to-back champions! Tough race, thank you for…” before the audio suddenly stops.

The moment came at the end of a demanding 62-lap race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, where Piastri finished fourth behind team-mate Lando Norris. It had been a difficult evening for the Australian, who lost his third-place starting position after a first-lap collision. Norris made contact with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, which then caused him to clip Piastri’s car at Turn 3. The FIA decided not to investigate the incident, and McLaren chose not to take any action.

Fans quickly shared the video online, interpreting it as a sign of tension between the two drivers and within the team. Some social media users even joked that Piastri was entering his “villain era”.

However, McLaren later confirmed that the clip had been misunderstood. The team explained that Piastri had already turned off his car before Brown started speaking, which meant he never actually heard his boss’s message. The sudden cut in the audio was not intentional, but simply because the communication system had already been powered down.

There was also some confusion about Piastri’s absence from the team’s initial celebrations on the podium. McLaren clarified that he was completing media duties at the time and that a full team photo, including Piastri, was taken later on.