Last Updated on June 17 2025, 10:06 am
Villeneuve stirs the pot, blaming Piastri’s “nasty” move for the McLaren clash, while Norris takes the heat alone – As the Formula 1 circus packed up in Montreal and the dissection of the Canadian Grand Prix began in the paddock, one narrative seemed irrefutable: Lando Norris had single-handedly thrown away a valuable result for McLaren.
After all, it was Norris who initiated the move. It was his car that ended up smashed. He immediately stood up and took responsibility, apologising to his team and calling the crash “foolish”. However, while the rest of the world nodded along, one man refused to toe the party line: Jacques Villeneuve.
The 1997 World Champion, never one to mince words or shy away from controversy, suggested that Oscar Piastri was not just an innocent bystander in the late-race incident. According to Villeneuve, the Australian contributed to the crash by moving his car across the track, a manoeuvre that the Canadian described as ‘a bit nasty’.
Villeneuve points the finger – not at Norris, but at Piastri
Villeneuve’s comments were reported by Yahoo News and have since sparked a renewed debate about team dynamics within the McLaren garage.
“It’s easy to point the finger at Norris,” the Canadian began, clearly unimpressed by the consensus that the Briton was entirely to blame. “But he wasn’t alone in this.”
The incident in question unfolded with just four laps to go. Norris had spent much of the race in Piastri’s shadow; he was faster in key phases, but was unable to overtake his teammate. With no team orders issued, perhaps fatally, Norris saw an opportunity and seized it.
As he moved left in anticipation of a clean run into the next corner, Piastri also edged left. Contact was inevitable. Norris was out. Piastri drove on, undamaged, and ultimately extended his World Championship lead over his now disillusioned teammate.
“Norris realised too late that Piastri had swerved left,” explained Villeneuve.
“He had his nose practically in Piastri’s gearbox. He didn’t notice what was going on, and Piastri gradually moved left. He shouldn’t have done that. It was a bit nasty.”
Villeneuve added that this wouldn’t just be brushed under the carpet as a racing incident.
“There’ll be some conversations in the McLaren debrief, you can be sure of that.”
Lone voice in the wilderness?
Villeneuve’s view has not found much support in the wider paddock. The judgment from fans and pundits alike has been swift and brutal: Norris blew it. Even Norris himself didn’t try to soften the blow.
Speaking to the media after the race, he was openly apologetic.
“I’m gutted,” he said. “I let the whole team down today. I drive for them every weekend and give it my all, so when I make a mistake like that… I regret it massively. I made a fool of myself.”
This kind of rare candour has earned Norris praise over the years, but self-awareness cannot undo a lost result or repair the fractured relationship between two ambitious teammates in the midst of a title fight.
Guenther Steiner joins the chorus of critics
If Jacques Villeneuve found Piastri’s behaviour questionable, former Haas boss and TV pundit Guenther Steiner was even more critical: he saw the crash as vintage Norris — and not in a good way.
“This was completely unnecessary,” Steiner said bluntly.
“There was no gap. None. And yet Lando went for it anyway, risking both cars in the process.”
Steiner, known for his candid style and uncompromising evaluations during his time in Formula 1 management, was particularly critical of Norris’s reputation under pressure.
“That’s Lando Norris. He makes these mistakes, and they cost a lot. That’s why Piastri is leading the championship. He makes fewer errors.”
While some might argue that Steiner was piling on, his words hit home precisely because they echoed what many in the sport think but rarely say out loud. For all Norris’s speed, flair and charisma, there’s a growing perception that he lacks the killer instinct when it matters most. And when he does become aggressive, as in Montreal, he overreaches.
A Championship tide turning inside McLaren?
This was supposed to be a weekend for McLaren to consolidate their status as legitimate title contenders. Instead, the clash raised awkward questions about internal team orders, the driver pecking order and even long-term strategy.
Before Canada, Norris had momentum. After his win in Miami and several strong performances, it seemed as though he might gain the upper hand in the McLaren power struggle. However, Piastri has now not only taken the points lead, but also the moral high ground. He didn’t crack under pressure. He didn’t give in to Norris’s pressure. He didn’t comment much afterwards, preferring to let the facts — and the scoreboard — speak for themselves.
This silence may be more deafening than anything Villeneuve has said.
Red Bull brief FIA before Canadian Grand Prix
What now for Norris?
With 14 races to go, there’s still time for Norris to turn things around, but the stakes are now clearly defined. McLaren are in the title fight. Every point matters. Every intra-team battle is loaded. While the team publicly insists that the drivers are equal, Montreal made one thing very clear: when left to their own devices, Norris and Piastri are willing to fight each other to the limit — and maybe beyond.
Team principal Andrea Stella now faces the delicate task of defusing the tension without stifling his drivers’ competitive instincts. Will he start imposing team orders? Will he favour one driver if the title chase narrows?
For now, the only certainty is that McLaren cannot afford a repeat of what happened in Canada.
While Villeneuve’s comments may not align with the general opinion, they have shone a light on something crucial: this wasn’t simply a case of hero versus villain. Yes, Norris initiated the move. Yes, it ended his race. But racing is rarely that simple. Team strategy, car positioning and communication, or the lack thereof, also played a part.
Oscar Piastri, hailed thus far as the cool head in McLaren’s hotbed, might not be as squeaky clean as his reputation suggests. If Villeneuve is right, there is a steely side to his calm exterior. He gave his teammate a firm elbow in the ribs, cloaked in plausible deniability.
One thing is certain: the next time the papaya pair go head to head, the world will be watching. Because, after Montreal, it’s no longer just about racing — it’s about redemption, retaliation and who’s really in charge at McLaren.
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Running in fifth were he qualified for the first ten laps, Hamilton was in the mix for a famous victory and as the leaders began to pit, he moved into second place on lap fourteen before stopping for fresh rubber himself. Yet as Lewis was racing towards his first pit stop, he hit a large rodent on track which tore a hole in his floor….. READ MORE
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