Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has joined the great debate, suggesting that McLaren is favouring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri.

As we await the next development in the Felipe Massa saga, which came about following comments Ecclestone did or didn't make to the German media, Bernie is at it again, this time suggesting that McLaren is effectively nobbling its Australian driver.

Fact is, the Australian appeared to be cruising towards the title for after Zandvoort was 46 points clear of his teammate, with Max Verstappen having all but called it a day. However, while the Australian joined his teammate on the podium at Monza - his most recent visit - Red Bull's revival was underway.

A string of uncharacteristic qualifying and race performances, not forgetting those questionable strategic calls, has not only led to Verstappen getting to within striking distance, but Norris' lights-to-flag victory in Mexico has given the Briton the championship lead.

Before he took charge of the sport Ecclestone had been a team owner and managed a number of drivers, and though he always courts controversy, his opinon should not be dismissed, Bernie is not your average 95-year-old.

"When the season started, I thought our Australian driver would be world champion," he tells Sport.de. "I thought he would win easily but something's holding him back," he adds.

"I don't know what it is, I don't know if it's McLaren holding him back or what," he continues. "There was a bit of a problem inside the team I understand where it looked very much they were favouring the British driver."

Though unclear why McLaren might favour its British driver - after all the team is owned by the Bahrainis now - Ecclestone suggests that it could be because Norris is seen as more marketable.

"I think he would fall into the star quality more," he says. "I think from that point of view, I think he would act better. He likes the TV, he likes the camera, he likes whatever. I suspect the journalists like him. I suppose that's better for McLaren."

Referring to the change in the Australian, which isn't limited to the track, but his whole demeanour over recent race weekends, Ecclestone suggests: "Piastri is upset and tired by this, and the discussions about it annoy him.

"The pressure is mounting," he continues, "and Piastri is frustrated that he can no longer win races so easily and that Norris is obviously favoured within the team."

However, whatever the truth of the matter, as far as McLaren is concerned, Ecclestone tips Verstappen to do the business.

"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."

If the Massa case is anything to go by, we reckon that around 2042 Piastri will be in court suing for the 2025 crown of which he was robbed.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Chester, 07/11/2025 12:08

"@Kenji, we are both banging our heads on these walls. I take comfort that Ecclestone believes something is tilted. He's seen it all. Doesn't mean certainty, for sure. "

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2. Posted by kenji, 07/11/2025 1:25

"The team showed where their preference lies at Monza. Their decision was wrong, wrong and wrong again, like their call in the very first race in Melbourne. Nothing has changed since...."

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3. Posted by BillH, 06/11/2025 19:39

"The likes of that decision at Monza seems to have put a cloud over the McLaren driver's championship situation.
What would usually have been seen as bad luck for the driver and stay as you are on track, turned into one where, the team redressed their mistake at the expense of the driver that inherited the good luck that his inter team rival had been struck by bad luck.
So long as the situation is reversed should it come up in future then that's not a problem.
However, what if it doesn't come up in future, and Piastri misses the championship by a whisker?
Of course, one race a season doesn't make, and the likes of Baku for one and Canada for the other come to mind.
Hopefully, from a McLaren perspective, both drivers get back to being evenly competitive and moreso than their rivals."

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4. Posted by ClarkwasGod, 06/11/2025 14:21

"@Max - nice to see you on here - had been a bit worried, as you'd been quiet since "Loaded Fries" in September."

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5. Posted by Chester, 06/11/2025 11:38

"So many refuse to believe commercial interests can exert enormous influence on outcomes. Money rules the world. It always has and always will. "

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6. Posted by kenji, 06/11/2025 1:14

"I don't think that Oscar, despite his lack of experience by comparison, has forgotten how to drive, very fast, or forgotten what he needs to set up a car! I am just hoping that he can rise above all the negative press being meted out by anyone who has access to a computer. Something has changed and I don't believe it's Oscar..."

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7. Posted by Max Noble, 05/11/2025 23:10

"Greg Norman had a reputation for choking at critical moments. No one was holding him back other than his head. This *might* just all be Oscar getting in his own way. Or it might be some external influences. At this stage in the season those ‘external influences’ could be real or imagined. Hopefully we find out! In the meantime cannot wait for these final races! V. Max by three points in the final race ;-)"

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8. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 05/11/2025 22:31

"@Laz - I thought ‘Papaya rules’ have always meant minimise intra-team risk and avoid contact? Using any team-orders call as ‘proof’ of sabotage is a non sequitur. If there were actual holding-back, it would show up in the data, not in a radio message to race cleanly.

PS - has there ever been a more cringeworthy term used in F1? ‘Papaya rules’ is just so twee with a whiff of marketing dept. Come back Ron, all is forgiven. "

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9. Posted by Laz, 05/11/2025 19:48

"If Papaya rules are introduced this weekend then it will be true."

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10. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 05/11/2025 17:42

"By next week, Bernie will have forgotten he said this. Or - as it’s another German publication - he’ll claim the journalist didn’t speak very good English and misunderstood what he meant. "

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11. Posted by Anthony, 05/11/2025 11:09

"“Verstappen is a real racing driver” - I couldn’t agree more."

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12. Posted by Chester, 05/11/2025 11:00

"Bingo. Exactly my thoughts. Horse manure if it comes to fruition. The image in my head of Zak Brown sickens me.

I know there will be Lando fans that refuse to see this reality. But to me, it is reality. As an aesthetically-oriented person, I immediately and in my bones recognized the difference between the two drivers. And yes, commercial interests are locking on to it. Is this concept new in the world? Hell, no."

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McLaren "holding back" Piastri, suggests Ecclestone

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