'We took big risks': McLaren boss teases Piastri in rogue speech

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has gone viral for his joke rampage on stage at his team's home base in Woking, where he poked fun at his drivers, saying he "took big risks" and neither driver "had better options."

Brown and his posse, including drivers Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and team principal Andrea Stella, all touched down in Britain after picking up their new silverware from the FIA prize-giving gala in Uzbekistan.

Clearly Brown was in a jocular mood, with the team boss going on a joke rampage and unloading a barrage of explicit language at different Formula 1 teams.

McLaren held their own team ceremony with their new trophies back in their headquarters and team members can be heard laughing in the background as Brown 'roasts' both Norris and Piastri.

One particular joke has gone viral, in which the American executive lands a tongue-in-cheek jibe at both of his stars.

"We took big risks on both of you, and don't pretend you had better options!" he said.

"You [Piastri] had f—–g Alpine, and you [Norris] had to go faster than Stoffel Vandoorne.

"I couldn't dream of having a better driver lineup on and off the track," Brown added.

"Two fastest guys in the world and nicest. That's the McLaren way. Proper racers like us, which stands for how we race. You guys are almost a unicorn combo.

"Then again, maybe we'll be up here next year saying, 'f— that guy.'

"Anyways. Won't come to that. Both drivers love me, idolise me, and call me 'Big Daddy' behind my back.

https://x.com/zbrownceo/status/1999712094409884010?s=51&t=QfCzHofPPlG4-a3jUcLrSw

"Reality is they'll mess with me, but they won't mess with Andrea [Stella] 'cause, deep down inside, they're scared shitless of Andrea."

In the good-natured speech, Brown also made fun of some recent incidents in which FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem purposely ruffled Norris' carefully-styled hair and dared Piastri to do the same.