P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Suspicions about McLaren’s use of team orders are reportedly growing in the F1 paddock.
Growing suspicions are circulating in the F1 paddock that McLaren might be favoring Lando Norris in the 2025 title fight. This claim arises as the McLaren pair, Oscar Piastri and Norris, engage in an exclusive intra-team battle for the world title, with Piastri currently holding a 31-point advantage with eight races left. McLaren came under scrutiny after a controversial driver swap during the Italian Grand Prix, where Piastri was ordered to concede track position to Norris following a slow pit stop. Critics argue that McLaren’s pit stop strategy factored heavily into their decision-making, bringing into question the team’s impartiality in supporting one driver over the other unintentionally. The controversy has become a dominant topic leading up to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, sparking discussions and rumors within the F1 community about potential favoritism toward Norris. Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer mentioned that such rumors might actually benefit Piastri by planting seeds of doubt that could push McLaren to ensure equal treatment for both drivers as the championship battle intensifies over the next races.
