P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Former F1 champion claims McLaren team order could cost them the title
Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has raised concerns about a potential clause in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s McLaren contracts affecting the team’s performance at the upcoming Abu Dhabi race.
There are worries that Piastri may need to support Norris if he falls out of championship contention, due to possible contractual obligations for equal treatment between the drivers.
Villeneuve criticized the concept of ‘papaya rules’, expressing doubts about its effectiveness in competitive racing, especially in the intense final stages of a championship battle.
The recent strategy error in Qatar, which cost Piastri a victory and allowed Max Verstappen to catch up in the title fight, added to the scrutiny of McLaren’s team dynamics.
Villeneuve highlighted the uniqueness of the situation, suggesting that such stringent equality clauses were unprecedented in F1 history.
The uncertainty surrounding the impact of these clauses on McLaren’s performance and the drivers’ championship remains a focal point of discussion within the F1 community.
