Ecclestone: McLaren backing Norris for championship

McLaren has come under fire for instructing Oscar Piastri to surrender second place to teammate Lando Norris at Monza.

The move, which cut Norris’ gap in the title race from 34 to 31 points, was defended by team boss Andrea Stella as a matter of team “philosophy.”

Piastri had gained the position when Norris lost ground during a slow pit stop, but the Australian’s radio messages revealed his hesitation.

"I said what I had to say on the radio," Piastri admitted afterwards. "Once I got the second request, I wasn't going to go against the team."

The call drew jeers from the Monza crowd and quickly became the subject of widespread criticism.

Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone told Blick: "They keep talking about fairness. But is it fair for Piastri to be penalised for a team mistake? No. You're starting to get the feeling McLaren prefers a world champion named Lando Norris."

Ex-Haas team boss Günther Steiner also disagreed with the order. "Oscar couldn't be blamed for Lando's slow stop. I wouldn't have done it that way," he said.

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, a long-time ally of McLaren CEO Zak Brown, warned the situation could create lasting complications. "You set a precedent that is very difficult to undo. What if the team makes another mistake? Do you switch them around again? The answer will come later in the season when it heats up."

According to Blick journalist Roger Benoit, Piastri’s manager Mark Webber was likely far more outspoken behind closed doors.

Former driver Giedo van der Garde told Viaplay: "If I were Piastri, I would have said: 'F*** it, I'm not letting him pass.'"

1996 world champion Damon Hill joined the chorus, joking: "In 1993 I won the Italian GP because Alain Prost's Renault engine blew up. I'm now worried Renault will ask me to give the result back to him."

Hill also conducted a poll online, with 62% of fans saying they were “not happy” with McLaren’s handling of the situation.

The debate even spilled into basketball circles, with NBA star Joel Embiid writing on X: "These papaya rules are something else lmao. Oscar is a better man than me."

Stella defended McLaren’s stance but indicated the matter will be revisited. "Review doesn't mean change. It means agreeing and confirming how we go about our racing. That's fundamental to our pursuit of excellence."