McLaren mechanics under fire from F1 fans after their reaction to Oscar Piastri’s Qatar Sprint pole

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Oscar Piastri scored pole position for the F1 Sprint at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix, but the way that McLaren’s mechanics immediately reacted did not impress lots of fans.

The 24-year-old left it late to steal P1 on the Sprint grid in Qatar from Mercedes star George Russell on Friday. Piastri posted a table-topping 1:20.055 as the third-to-last driver to hit the chequered flag to deny Russell, after he had momentarily moved atop by setting a 1:20.087.

Williams driver Alex Albon and McLaren teammate Lando Norris followed Piastri across the finish line, but neither could challenge the Australian’s effort. Norris also finished qualifying for the F1 Sprint at the Qatar GP in P3, as he failed to improve his time on his final flying lap.

McLaren mechanics stun F1 fans with their blank reaction to Oscar Piastri’s Qatar Sprint pole

Piastri’s pole position for the Sprint at the Qatar GP marks his second Sprint pole in the 2025 F1 season, following the Sprint at the Belgian Grand Prix this July. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen overtook Piastri to win the Sprint at Spa after he took the lead at Les Combes on Lap 1 of 15.

READ MORE: Everything to know about the F1 Qatar Grand Prix, including past winners

Pole position for the Sprint at the Qatar GP, while Norris only sealed P3 and Verstappen only managed P6, also puts Piastri in a great position to possibly eat into his teammate’s 24-point lead atop the 2025 F1 drivers’ standings. The Qatar GP is the penultimate round of the term.

But rafts of F1 fans were shocked to see the emotionless reaction on the faces of McLaren’s mechanics to Piastri scoring Sprint pole in Qatar when the cameras cut to their garage. One fan said on X: “McLaren garage, we are watching you. We all saw that reaction, or lack of it.”

Another fan also said, “The McLaren reaction says it all about their schemes,” while another fan suggested: “The McLaren team keeping it consistent with their disappointed reaction to Oscar getting pole for the Sprint.”

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Their reaction also tempted one F1 fan to say: “These McLaren folks really don’t want Piastri to win. What was that reaction?” While one fan claimed: “The McLaren garage reaction was absolutely insane.”

One fan also said: “McLaren’s reaction to Oscar’s pole? They can at least try.” Their reaction also saw one fan declare: “McLaren’s garage is the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. Their reaction to Oscar’s pole is so embarrassing. He needs to get out of there immediately.”

McLaren faced a lose-lose situation celebrating Oscar Piastri beating Lando Norris in Qatar Sprint Qualifying

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While the McLaren mechanics shown on the world feed straight after Piastri scored pole for the F1 Sprint at the Qatar GP stunned many fans with their emotionless reaction, it can also be noted that the team have two drivers in the title fight with the Australian chasing Norris.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

If it were a straight fight between Piastri and Verstappen, who are tied on 366 points behind Norris on 390 ahead of the Sprint at the Qatar GP, then McLaren would have celebrated the Melbourne native’s pole position without any reservations about the possible optics from it.

Had McLaren’s mechanics been seen celebrating Piastri’s pole with Norris just P3, then their reaction might have tempted the opposite response. But the big issue for the Woking squad is that McLaren have been accused of favouring Norris over Piastri during their F1 title fight.