McLaren accused of “slowing down” Piastri – As hunter Max Verstappen closes in on his papaya liveried rivals it appears there may be a web of cunning manipulation and calculated deceit having develop[ed at the McLaren Technology Centre. In true Machiavellian fashion McLaren now stand accused of discarding all loyalty, morality and honesty as behind the veneer of “we let them race” is in fact a dark plot which has favoured one of their drivers over the other.
Bernie Ecclestone, the ex-F1 supremo accuses the Andrea Stella and Zak Brown double act of favouring Lando Norris over their young Australian driver Oscar Piastri. Norris has overturned a 34 point deficit after a Piastri dominated race in the Netherlands and in just five remarkable race weekends now leads the Formula One drivers’ championship by a single point from his team mate.
Piastri though has somewhat contributed to his own downfall having a miserable weekend in Azerbaijan where he crashed both in qualifying and on lap one of the race. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Oscar made a false start in the Grand Prix before ending up in the wall in turn four.
Suspicions arise in Monza
At the previous outing there were signs that the ‘papa rules’ which Zak Brown has publicly vaunted, were coming under strain at the Italian Grand Prix. With Norris leading Piastri on track Charles Leclerc had stopped for fresh rubber and was in danger of undercutting Piastri.
To assist the team, Lando gave up his ‘right’ to the first pit stop but this act of kindness was not to be returned when Norris pitted the following lap. A faulty wheel nut gun meant the British driver was stationary for almost five seconds, allowing Piastri to gain track position. As had happened a year earlier in Hungary with Norris gaining an advantage via pit stop strategy, Oscar was told to relinquish the place to his team mate.
“We said a slow pit stop was part of racing,” replied a disgruntled Piastri to his race engineer. “I don’t really get what changed here. But if you really want to do it, then I’ll do it.” Piastri obliged eventually coming home in third place behind his team mate and with a resurgent Max Verstappen once again on the top step of the podium.
Piastri copes badly in low grip scenarios
In Singapore Piastri was again miffed by the team’s refusal to act against his team mate when Norris accidentally bumped wheels with the Australian through the opening sequence of corners. Whilst McLaren later decided Norris wold face consequences they were wiped out by Piastri’s shocking decision at turn one in Austin Texas in the Sprint. In an effort to pass his team mate, Oscar practically stopped his car mid corner to cut inside, apparently failing to understand there were 17 other cars all hurling towards the pinch point. He took to himself, his team mate and Fernando Alonso – all who finished the Saturday morning race with zero points.
Come the Grand Prix qualifying, Piastri was two tenths slower than his team mate and finished the session in sixth place. Whilst he made up a position on George Russell on Sunday, his firth place finsh needed another eight points to Lando Norris. Andrea Stella excused Piastri’s lack of performance stating his driving style suffered on low grip surfaces.
Next up Mexico City – another low grip and dusty circuit used rarely throughout the year. It was to be another 2-5 finish for the McLaren’s in favour of Norris although Stella did claim Oscar had tried to adapt his driving style to suit the grip levels. He clearly failed given he was 6/10ths slower than Norris in qualifying – the biggest margin between team mates that day across the entire F1 field.
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McLaren accused of favouritism
Norris had pulled off what most paddock folk believed was not possible. Even Bernie Ecclestone admits he expected Oscar Piastri to romp to the F1 world championship this season. “When the season started, I thought our Australian driver would be world champion,” he told sport.de this week. “I thought he would win easily but something’s holding him back. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s McLaren holding him back or what.”
“There was a bit of a problem inside the team I understand where it looked very much they were favouring the British driver.” Ecclestone goes on to speculate that Norris winning the drivers’ F1 title is better for McLaren hover his “stronger personal profile. He has more star power and marketing qualities for them, more camera presence and public exposure. That’s why it’s probably better for McLaren.”
Of course fans are divided. In their opinion over the McLaren micro management of its drivers via the ‘papaya rules’ on so some kind of conspiracy theory is not out of the question. There are many simple things the team can do to nobble their driver as Ferrari have demonstrated time and again.
Verstappen predicted to win
Charles Leclerc was comfortably leading the race this year in Hungary when one again ride height concerns was discussed nay the team. To ensure he was not disqualified like Lewis Hamilton in China, the team pumped up the tyre pressures at the final pit stop for the Monegasque driver. This had the effect of creating a low grip environment for Leclerc, who lost all his pace finishing a distant fourth over 42 seconds behind the race winner.
Whether Oscar Piastri has been nobbled by his McLaren team we may never know, but there’s another big dog in the hunt for a record fifth consecutive championship, as Max Verstappen sits just 36 points behind championship leader Norris.
With dicey weather expected this weekend in Brazil, who can forget the Dutchman’s epic drive last year from P17 to win by over 20 seconds? Las Vegas up next will not suit the McLaren car, but will the Mercedes and the slippery RB21.
Come Qatar which is certainly a McLaren track, the title race could be wide open as we head into Abu Dhabi. Ecclestone believes McLaren have handed Max Verstappen a gift horse. “I think Max will win and do it again!” he says. “He has that special something, that extraordinary quality. And the next race is Brazil — the weather is changeable, with rain too. Verstappen will do well there – Verstappen is special, the best racer, not a politician, but a real racing driver.”
Verstappen drops team mate bombshell on Red Bull
Max Verstappen changes tack on future team mate – Max Verstapppen is back in the hunt for his fifth consecutive Formula One drivers’ championship. The weather is set to favour the world champion in Brazil as a chaotic weekend of rain is once again forecast.
Last year saw the world champion start from 17th on the grid in Sao Paulo only to charge his way through the field to take the win, almost twenty seconds ahead of his nearest rival.
To claw back 36 points over the final four race weekends of the year is a big ask, but given his situation after his home Grand Prix in Zandvoort which saw him 104 points behind championship leader, Oscar Piastri, its game on for the Dutch driver….. READ MORE
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13 and a career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media. Having trained in investigative journalism and contributed to several European sports outlets, Hunt brings rigour and polish to every article. His role is to sharpen analysis, check facts and ensure TJ13’s daily output meets the highest editorial standards.
Is Piastri’s team as good as Lando’s
He’s had the same guy, Lando, since he joined the team.
Tom Stoddard was Riccardo’s as well.