In Brazil, Oscar Piastri has responded to the growing rumors suggesting that McLaren might be favoring Lando Norris in the title fight. The Australian driver arrives at the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix no longer leading the championship, a position he had held since the Bahrain Grand Prix nearly seven months ago. This recent shift in momentum has fueled speculation—now denied by Oscar Piastri—about possible preferential treatment toward his British teammate.
Following his victory at Zandvoort, the Melbourne-born driver’s performance declined noticeably. A streak of four consecutive races without a podium has turned what was once a comfortable 34-point lead into a narrow deficit of just one point.
The peak of tension came at the last round in Mexico, when Oscar Piastri could not explain the six-tenths gap separating him from Norris in qualifying. The discrepancy fueled talk of alleged internal sabotage, with even Bernie Ecclestone suggesting a potential “deliberate slowdown” designed to benefit Norris.
However, when asked about the issue, Oscar Piastri made it clear that a thorough data analysis had provided full explanations for the recent performance dip. “No, that’s not the case,” he told the media in Brazil. “I think the last two weekends have been a bit more complicated, but we have quite clear answers as to why. There aren’t many mysteries about what happened.”
The McLaren driver added that some differences in driving style have been identified, but nothing that could justify suspicion. “There are some questions about why certain differences in the way I have to drive have come up, but everything is explainable. There’s definitely nothing like that going on.”
Reply to Jos Verstappen
The 23-year-old also responded to comments made by Jos Verstappen, who had described Oscar Piastri’s situation as “rather strange.” The Australian driver, however, kept a balanced tone, emphasizing McLaren’s internal transparency. “We are always very open with each other about what we think,” he explained. “If something doesn’t convince us, we can say it. I feel comfortable doing so, and the team encourages us to express our opinions.”
Oscar Piastri nonetheless acknowledged the inherent difficulty of managing a rivalry between two drivers from the same team competing for the same goal. “It’s a tough dynamic to handle, but I respect the team for allowing both of us to fight for the Drivers’ Championship,” he concluded. “I want to win knowing I’ve earned it, doing everything possible on my own merit.”
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