Aussie burger chain flips the bun on claims its patty ‘cursed’ Piastri

Australian burger chain Grill’d has found itself unexpectedly thrust onto the Formula 1 grid after it flipped the script on wild social media claims that its Oscar Piastri 81 Burger had slapped a “curse” on the McLaren driver.

Fans down under, clearly bored between race weekends and ready to point the finger at literally anything, have tied Piastri’s recent downturn in form to the relaunch of Grill’d’s OP81 promotion.

Originally, customers scored a free burger every time Piastri stood on the podium – an idea as tasty as a perfectly grilled patty, until their idol and title contender hit a rough patch.

Since his last top-three finish at Monza, Piastri has endured bumps, scrapes, and a championship lead now owned by Lando Norris, who has so far declined to credit fast food for his success.

Eventually, Grill’d quietly – and mockingly – tweaked the promo from “when Oscar podiums” to “when Oscar races”, which led to the internet losing its buns, declaring the burger a four-wheeled hex.

So, naturally, Grill’d did what any self-respecting Aussie brand would do: it leaned in hard.

A Meaty Mock Apology

Relishing the absurdity, the burger chain leaned into the chaos with a statement dripping in wit.

“We’ve seen the tweets, the TikToks, the memes… and yes, we’ve heard the whispers. Apparently, our OP81 Burger is ‘cursed’,” the chain declared, winking through the press release tongue-in-cheek.

“We’d like to apologise. To those who believe in the ‘curse’. We didn’t mean to create a burger so delicious it could change the course of F1 history.

“The truth? We didn’t break F1, we just broke the internet. We call it flavour; you call it fate,” Grill’d quipped, doubling down on the idea that their burgers are simply too good to be blamed for bad luck.

“And if great taste and giving Aussies a free burger is a curse, we’ll cop that. Just ask the 330,000 Aussies who’ve already devoured the OP81 burger.”

To commemorate this obviously world-changing, history-defining burger saga, Grill’d announced a limited-edition “Sorry Not Sorry” merch range featuring slogans like “Certified Cursed” and “Sorry (Not Sorry) since 2025.”

Fortunately for the environment – and unfortunately for anyone hoping to wear a hex-themed tote to work – Grill’d says the range is …“coming never, probably.”

Supporting Oscar: No Ifs, Buts, or Buns

Despite the theatrics and banter, the brand insisted its loyalty to Piastri remains unwavering – curse talk or not.

“Sure, we can take a joke about a curse, but we’ll never bet against a guy like Oscar Piastri,” they said, tossing some heartfelt support to the driver.

“At the end of the day, Oscar’s our homegrown Aussie hero and we’ll always be in his corner. Today, tomorrow, and forever – we’ve got your back, Oscar.”

And finally, with the flourish of a marketing team in absolute dreamland, Grill’d tied a bow on the entire spicy saga.

“We know a good story when we see one and we love that Aussies care enough to turn a burger into folklore. We’re not superstitious, just super delicious. And if flavour really does have that kind of power… we’ll keep serving it.”

Whether the OP81 Burger is a cursed culinary creation or just a scapegoat for a string of bad races, one thing is clear: Grill’d has absolutely no intention of lifting the “curse” if it means missing out on this much free publicity.

Read also: Piastri opens up on Baku ‘perfect storm’ – impact from Monza

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