Ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the partners of Formula One's top drivers set aside the on-track tension for a night of glamour and celebration. The event was a birthday dinner organised by Lily Zneimer, girlfriend of McLaren star Oscar Piastri, who turned 25.
A Glamorous Gathering Away From The Grid
Lily Zneimer, an engineering graduate, played host and gift-giver at the sophisticated meal. In a generous move, she presented each of her guests with personalised watercolour portrait bookmarks and guides to Christian Dior fashion. The guest list read like a who's who of the F1 paddock's inner circle, showcasing the tight-knit nature of this group.
In attendance were Magui Corceiro (partner of Lando Norris), Alexandra Saint Mleux (fiancée of Charles Leclerc), Kika Gomes (girlfriend of Pierre Gasly), Lily Muni He (partner of Alex Albon), and Flavy Barla (partner of Esteban Ocon). The group cheered as Zneimer was presented with a birthday cheesecake topped with a candle.
From Boarding School to the Paddock
Zneimer and Piastri have a long history, having first met while attending the same private boarding school, Haileybury in Hertfordshire. While Piastri's career accelerated, Zneimer excelled academically, achieving an impressive nine A* grades in her GCSEs. She has since balanced supporting Piastri at Grands Prix with studying for her own engineering degree, with some speculating she could eventually take up a role at McLaren.
The dinner highlighted the strong bonds formed among the drivers' partners, a unity that stands in contrast to the fierce competition heating up on the circuit as the championship reaches its climax.
The High-Stakes Championship Showdown
The convivial dinner belied the intense pressure building within the McLaren garage. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are in mathematical contention for the Drivers' Championship, though Red Bull's Max Verstappen is threatening a remarkable comeback. After being 104 points behind Norris, a streak of five wins in eight races has brought Verstappen within just 12 points of the British driver.
Norris remains the strong favourite; a top-three finish in Abu Dhabi will secure him the title. However, McLaren CEO Zak Brown has confirmed the team is prepared to use team orders if necessary to maximise their championship chances. While the team has operated under 'Papaya rules'—allowing free but clean racing—Brown stated pragmatism would prevail.
"We're realistic," Brown said. "We want to win this Drivers' Championship... if we get into the race and it's becoming pretty clear that one has a chance and the other doesn't, we're going to do what we can to win. It would be crazy not to."
As the F1 circus prepares for the final race, the camaraderie displayed by the partners' group offers a poignant counterpoint to the win-at-all-costs mentality set to define Sunday's decisive Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.
