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An Australian senator has used a federal committee hearing to question McLaren’s handling of Oscar Piastri after a costly strategy call in F1’s Qatar GP.
An Australian senator questioned McLaren’s handling of Oscar Piastri after a costly strategy call in Formula 1’s Qatar Grand Prix during a federal committee hearing. The incident arose from McLaren’s decision not to pit Piastri or Lando Norris under the early Safety Car on Lap 7 at the Lusail International Circuit. This choice ultimately dropped Piastri from a winning position to second place, and demoted Norris to fourth, intensifying the title battle. Senator Matt Canavan raised concerns about potential bias against Piastri within McLaren, leading to a debate in the Senate committee. McLaren CEO Zak Brown expressed frustration with the accusations of favoritism towards Norris and highlighted the challenges of navigating social media criticism in today’s landscape. As the championship heads to Abu Dhabi, Piastri needs a win and for Norris to finish sixth or lower to remain competitive, amid heightened political scrutiny on McLaren’s decisions.
