The Australian driver was in attendance at The Ashes in his hometown of Melbourne — the historic Test series between England and Australia that is widely regarded as one of cricket’s most iconic rivalries.

With that backdrop, Swann couldn’t resist taking a light-hearted jab at his Australian ‘rival’, delivering the quip during an appearance on the Willow Talk Cricket Podcast.

At the same event — currently taking place in the McLaren driver’s hometown — Piastri was put on the spot with a question about his teammate, who ultimately got the better of him in a three-way title fight that went down to Abu Dhabi and ended with Lando Norris sealing the championship.

The Briton ultimately clinched the world championship by just two points over Max Verstappen, and only 13 ahead of Piastri, despite the Australian having led the standings for as many as fifteen Grands Prix.

With the season now over, Piastri has returned home to recharge his batteries ahead of the new campaign. Whether Piastri already has a shot at winning the title in 2026 remains to be seen, as there is still uncertainty over how the competitive order will stack up when the grid returns in a few months’ time.