Situation for the title race
The championship comes down to Abu Dhabi. Lando Norris has the best chance. He is 12 points ahead of Max Verstappen. According to reports, Oscar Piastri is four points further back.
Both McLaren drivers appeared together at a mandatory FIA press conference. That was their only media activity this Thursday in Abu Dhabi. However, that choice is fuelling all kinds of speculation.
Parliamentary uproar in Australia
In Australia, the story took a strange turn. A parliamentary committee cited Piastri and McLaren's alleged bias. This arose partly from the team's choice in Qatar. McLaren did not immediately bring its cars in under an early safety car. According to critics, this cost Piastri the victory.
The incident in Qatar limited Piastri's advance on Norris. It also made room for Verstappen to overtake Piastri in the standings. As a result, Piastri is now considered the biggest underdog of the three.
Piastri responded with surprise and delight that his name had even been mentioned in parliament. He described the support from Australia as extraordinary and said he would do his best to celebrate it at home.
Media claims versus facts
An Australian report stated that Piastri had been banned from his national media and that Norris had separate sessions. That is not correct.
McLaren decided not to schedule any additional voluntary media appointments in Abu Dhabi. This applied to all media outlets. Norris also did not hold a separate briefing with British newspapers. The decision was made by the team. Neither Norris nor Piastri requested any additional media appointments.
Why the rumour persists
The underlying unrest is not new. Fans and journalists have been pointing out cases for months where it seems that Norris was given preferential treatment. There were some notable race decisions that led to discussion. Piastri's poor performance in the US and Mexico also fuelled the doubt.
- In some races, Norris was given strategic choices that sharpened him in comparison to Piastri.
- In Italy, Piastri was asked to let Norris pass again after an unintentional undercut.
- Piastri experienced a dip in form in the US and Mexico, which may have been due to technical reasons.
- Piastri's strong comeback in Qatar made the situation even more sensitive.
What McLaren says
The team consistently emphasises that it does not favour any particular driver. McLaren provides technical explanations for the results. For example, some circuits require grip and a driving style that suits one driver more than another.
Nevertheless, the narrative persists. Minor errors or unfortunate team orders reinforce the perception of inequality. It is challenging to completely refute this.
About missing FP1
Some saw Piastri's absence in FP1 as evidence of a conspiracy. In reality, it has to do with mandatory rookie sessions. Abu Dhabi is one of the least relevant FP1s. It is a daytime race on a dirty circuit, so many teams use that session for young drivers.
Conclusion
The case revolves around reputation and perception as much as it does around facts. McLaren attempted to avoid additional distractions by not planning any voluntary media appearances. Nevertheless, old incidents and ambiguities continue to fuel the discussion.
Whether there really is favouritism has not been proven. The rumours will only die down if the team is consistently open and the results speak for themselves. For now, Abu Dhabi remains the arbiter of sporting judgement.
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