Ecclestone raises suspicions after Monza – The aftermath of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza has reignited an internal debate at McLaren that goes beyond strategy calls and pit stop errors. Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that Lando Norris might be receiving preferential treatment from the Woking-based team at the expense of his younger teammate, Oscar Piastri.

In an interview with Blick, Ecclestone questioned McLaren’s commitment to fairness, which has been much publicised. He referenced the incident at Monza where Piastri gained a position due to Norris’ slow pit stop but was then asked to let his teammate back through. The former F1 supremo was blunt: ‘They keep talking about fairness. But is it fair for Piastri to be penalised for a team mistake? No.”

This was an especially frustrating situation for Piastri, who had the upper hand in the points battle, leaving Monza with a 31-point lead over Norris. Had he stayed ahead, his lead would have been 37 points. In a season where McLaren are finally mounting a genuine challenge for race victories, and perhaps even titles, such a swing could prove decisive.

 

Ecclestone smells politics.

At 94 years of age, Ecclestone remains as sharp-tongued as ever. He suspects that McLaren would prefer a world champion named Lando Norris and sees the Monza decision as evidence of subtle bias within the team.

To him, the decision to swap drivers undermined the natural order of racing. He argues that mistakes such as botched pit stops, engine issues or suspension failures are part and parcel of the sport. To erase those consequences through team instruction, he suggests, is to rewrite fate unfairly.

One does not need to look far back in history to find parallels. Teams have often used words such as ‘principles’ or ‘restoring order’ as a justification for asking one driver to step aside. Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, used precisely that language, describing the move as an internal matter of consistency. Yet consistency is a slippery concept in Formula 1, often stretched to favour whichever driver a team wants to support at the time.

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Would Verstappen have played along?

Max Verstappen, who has won four world championships with Red Bull, was asked about the situation. His response was telling. He said he would not have obeyed such an instruction, brushing off the hypothetical with the casual dismissal of someone who has spent years dictating terms from the front.

‘That’s not my problem,’ he concluded, creating the impression that Piastri perhaps lacks the authority to defy McLaren in the way that Verstappen could at Red Bull.

And therein lies the rub. Norris has grown into McLaren’s golden boy: the face of their marketing campaign and the British driver that the team and its sponsors can sell to home audiences with pride. Piastri, though equally quick, is still seen as the junior partner, even as he builds his case on the track.

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The papaya rules and their cracks

Internally, McLaren drivers refer to their code of conduct as the ‘papaya rules’. These rules are meant to guide fair play within the team. However, at Monza, Piastri’s radio messages revealed cracks in this philosophy. “We said a slow pit stop is part of racing. I really don’t understand what’s changed now,” he complained, making it clear that he believed the team had changed the rules during the race.

Later, he acknowledged that the topic would require further discussion. It is likely that this discussion will be more than a casual chat. After all, the internal rules now have a tangible effect on the championship standings.

With Red Bull faltering and Ferrari inconsistent, McLaren suddenly find themselves with two drivers capable of fighting for the title. Managing that dynamic could determine whether the title goes to Woking or slips through their fingers again.

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A team divided? Or is it just business as usual?

This is not the first time a Formula 1 team has been accused of favouritism, of course. From Ferrari’s infamous ‘number one’ and ‘number two’ structure to Red Bull’s preference for Vettel over Webber and Verstappen over Ricciardo, the idea that teams treat their drivers equally is often more myth than reality.

McLaren have history in this area, too. Long-time fans still remember the scars of the Hamilton–Alonso war in 2007, a season where equal treatment on paper descended into a bitter civil war on the track. That saga ended with both men losing out to Kimi Räikkönen, providing a warning that unresolved team rivalries can have serious consequences.

Therefore, when Ecclestone questions McLaren’s decisions, it is not without precedent. His suspicion that Norris is being positioned as the chosen one is hardly far-fetched, especially given the tendency of sponsors and media narratives to pull in the same direction.

Andrea Stella’s “principles” speech could easily be rephrased as “the Norris tax”. If Lando is held up, Oscar must make way. If Lando sneezes, Oscar must fetch the tissues.

And one cannot help but picture Verstappen’s smirk. He might as well have said, ‘Oscar should have ignored it.’ Indeed, if history shows us anything, it’s that champions rarely win by meekly following orders that undermine their own chances. Piastri, still young and keen to please, may be learning this the hard way.

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The stakes are high for McLaren

Yet McLaren have a genuine problem: They have two drivers who are both quick, capable of winning races and young enough to be in the sport for the next decade. To choose between them risks alienating one, but backing both equally risks them getting in each other’s way.

The constructors’ championship requires harmony, but the drivers’ crown may demand ruthlessness. If McLaren believes that Norris is their best chance, Piastri’s frustrations will only grow. If they are too cautious, they could find themselves overtaken by Verstappen or Leclerc while they argue about who deserved second place at Monza.

As the season progresses, every point will matter. And every ‘principled’ swap will be scrutinised for signs of bias. Piastri may be polite for now, but if the points swing back towards Norris, expect that politeness to evaporate quickly.

So, is Lando Norris truly favoured within McLaren? Ecclestone thinks so. Verstappen thinks Piastri should have defied the call. Stella thinks it was about principles. Piastri, meanwhile, thinks it is all rather confusing.

The only certainty is that McLaren has reignited the age-old Formula 1 dilemma of having two strong drivers and a fragile balance. History suggests that someone will soon feel short-changed.

Are McLaren subtly tilting the scales towards Norris, or are they simply enforcing fairness in their own papaya-tinted way?

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MORE F1 NEWS – Schumacher: Verstappen bombshell coming

Although Max Verstappen’s immediate future remains tied to Red Bull Racing, speculation over what comes next continues to gather pace. Former racing driver and current pundit Ralf Schumacher has now joined the debate, suggesting that Ferrari could be a good fit for the reigning world champion when the time comes for a change of team.

Having visited Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, Schumacher believes that Verstappen’s profile, temperament and personal circumstances could align with what the Scuderia requires. He made these remarks after witnessing Ferrari at their home event in Monza and watching Verstappen dominate the race on television immediately afterwards.

Verstappen’s performance on Monza’s fast straights was commanding once again, with his qualifying pace setting the tone before he converted it into victory. During the post-race celebrations, Schumacher noted how warmly the Italian crowd appeared to embrace the Red Bull driver, a gesture that raised questions over whether the Tifosi could genuinely imagine Verstappen in a red Ferrari one day…READ MORE ON THIS STORY