In recent races, the battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris has intensified. The British driver has recovered significant ground and even overtaken the Australian in the standings, placing himself temporarily at the top of McLaren’s intra-team fight. Lando Norris seems to have found a winning balance, while Oscar Piastri appears to have lost it.
Because of these contrasting performances compared to the start of the season, many have begun accusing the Woking-based team of showing favouritism toward Norris.
Jones calls it complete invention
Alan Jones, the 1980 Formula 1 world champion, addressed the situation on the Summer Grandstand podcast. Without mincing words, he opened the discussion by saying: “It’s the biggest load of bull**** of all time. Every single season we end up reading this crap.”
“It’s either Mark Webber against Vettel, or someone else, but it’s always ‘Oh, he has a better car than mine’ or ‘He’s getting preferential treatment’. It’s absolute invention.”
After this brief outburst, the former champion continued: “These teams don’t spend a fortune travelling to the other side of the world just to sabotage one car and favour the other. I can assure you that both cars receive the same kind of treatment.”
He then added: “I know Zak Brown very well. He’s a great racer and he would give both drivers the same opportunity to win.”
Alan Jones insisted again on his point: “If this were tennis, they’d be saying they’re giving the kid the wrong racket or something like that. It’s just bull****. Then you get these ‘rare experts’ popping up to give their opinion on this, that and the other. Half of them wouldn’t even know one end of a car from the other.”
“But they’re free to give advice, whether it’s useful or not. It’s all nonsense. Norris could retire, Oscar could win, and suddenly he’s back in front,” he argued.
Indeed, Formula 1 history has shown us championships decided at the final race and incredible plot twists. Oscar Piastri could still win the title — as difficult as it may be — and a bit of luck certainly wouldn’t hurt him.
Alan Jones then recalled an example from his own career: “I had Carlos Reutemann, an Argentine driver, as my teammate, and the bull**** going around at the time was that Williams was giving me better equipment, a better car, and that Carlos wasn’t being supported as he should have been. People get carried away, and half of those who get carried away have no idea how this sport actually works.”
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