Oscar Piastri’s Google ad sneaks in savage Alpine joke fans can’t ignore

A recent Google Pixel commercial featuring Oscar Piastri has gone viral after the Australian driver delivered a subtle jab at the Alpine Formula 1 team, a squad the Australian driver rejected as he took a seat at McLaren. 

Piastri joined the Woking-based team following a messy 2022 contract saga that unfolded across social media. While the controversy created one of the season’s most talked-about moments, Piastri largely stayed silent on the drama at the time: 

“I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong, and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”

The new ad, however, shows Piastri’s comedic side, using deadpan humour and clever props to land the punchline.
 
The commercial highlights the use of a Google Pixel phone, while Piastri pokes fun at his famously stoic expressions during three years in F1.
 

“I know I don't always show it, but winning does excite me,” he said with a straight face, as the camera cut to him holding a trophy, expression unchanged.

Fans went wild for the next gag. In one scene, Piastri walks into a room as two men replace a painting of Alpine mountains with a papaya fruit, a cheeky nod to his team switch. His voiceover added:
 

“So when I see a chance to get ahead, I will change things up.”

The internet responded as expected. 

“Am I the only one that noticed the painting change from mountains (Alpine F1) to papaya (McLaren)?” one fan asked, while another commented bluntly: “The picture switch is absolutely diabolical... I love it.”

Later in the video, Piastri interacts with Google’s AI, Gemini, asking it to generate a race-winning speech “that sounds like me.”
 

“Thanks,” the AI replies, prompting a nod from the 24-year-old.

Piastri finished third in the 2025 F1 drivers’ championship and will be hoping McLaren can maintain the momentum it built during the final two years of the ground effect era.

“Switching to Google Pixel was an easy decision,” Piastri said in a separate video. “Am I a Formula 1 racing driver? Yep. Am I a professional actor with a full emotional range? Nope. But I’m excited on the inside to be on the winning team with Google Pixel.”

“Oscar embodies the 'never settle' mindset that drives Google Pixel, he is relentlessly chasing the best, just like we are,” added Suzana Ristevski, Google Australia’s chief marketing officer.

“We’re thrilled to bring such iconic homegrown talent to the brand. This is a uniquely Australian campaign, it’s full of delight and showcases the very best of Google Pixel in a way that we know will really resonate with local fans.”

Google has sponsored McLaren since 2022 and continues under a multi-year agreement.