Ecclestone states that McLaren is 'clearly' showing favoritism towards Norris.

      "McLaren leans towards the English driver"

      Former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone believes that McLaren has shifted its support to Lando Norris during the latter part of the season, to the detriment of teammate Oscar Piastri. "Yes, that seems to be the case," the 95-year-old stated to RTL. Ecclestone noted that Piastri started the season "clearly faster," but asserted that the Australian has recently been "hindered by various methods." "McLaren favors the English driver Norris. He possesses more star appeal and marketing potential for them, as well as greater visibility in front of the cameras and public. That's likely why it's more advantageous for McLaren," Ecclestone added.

      He also criticized McLaren's so-called Papaya Rules, saying they have been detrimental to Piastri. "It's evident that Piastri is frustrated and weary of these rules, and the discussions surrounding them are irritating him. The pressure continues to rise, and Piastri is disheartened that winning races is no longer as easy and that Norris is clearly being prioritized within the team."

      However, Ecclestone still predicts that Max Verstappen will outperform both McLaren drivers in the championship. "He has that unique quality, an extraordinary talent. And the next race is in Brazil, where conditions can change quickly, including rain. Verstappen will excel there," he commented. "The McLaren drivers are strong, and their car is excellent - but Verstappen is extraordinary, the best racer, not a politician but a true racing driver."

      Former driver Ralf Schumacher disagrees and calls the favoritism claims "nonsense." "At the beginning of the season, Piastri was undoubtedly the superior driver. That has shifted to some extent," he said to Sky Deutschland. "McLaren isn't as dominant now, and Piastri has made a few errors. It's human nature - it happens," he added. "What interest would anyone in the team have in undermining Piastri? Ideally, McLaren would have both the world champion and the vice-world champion. That would be perfect. I’ve known Zak Brown for a long time - he’s professional enough."

      Schumacher suggested that Piastri’s concerns might arise from his management. "I believe the bigger issue is that Mark Webber was passed over by Red Bull previously. The consequences of that are disrupting the harmony at McLaren."

      Former Alpha Tauri team principal Franz Tost also supported Piastri. "Even last year, Piastri faced challenges in Austin, Singapore, and Mexico. One should not forget that he still has significantly less experience than his teammate Norris," he told f1-insider.com. "He is just one point behind Norris. To dismiss him would be a tremendous mistake, especially since I believe he is mentally stronger than Norris."

      However, Jacques Villeneuve thinks Piastri may have already reached his limit. "At the beginning of the season, Lando wasn't particularly exceptional, not like he was at the end of last year," the 1997 world champion mentioned to Sky. "We kept saying, ‘Oh, that’s because Piastri has improved, he's now on Lando’s level and even quicker.’ But did Piastri really improve, or was Lando simply out of form?"

      Villeneuve believes Norris has since regained his form. "Lando is driving faster and better than ever this season. Piastri didn’t improve; he was already at his peak," he commented. "When you have to find those extra two tenths, you suddenly start noticing issues with the car that weren't present before - you begin to doubt your driving, you analyze the data and see, ‘Oh, my teammate is a tenth quicker in this corner,’ and then things go awry."