The Formula 1 world is holding its breath, watching an internal storm that threatens to tear McLaren, one of history’s most renowned racing teams, apart from the inside. With only eight races left in the 2025 F1 season, the championship battle between teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri has reached a boiling point. Piastri currently trails Norris by 31 points, creating the most intense intra-team rivalry since 2008. However, emerging new evidence is raising serious questions about whether McLaren is systematically favoring Norris and if an “internal sabotage” plot is unfolding within the Woking-based squad.

Monza 2025: A Controversial Decision and Piastri’s Frustration

The epicenter of the controversy erupted at Monza, where McLaren made the shocking decision to order a position swap between its two drivers. Piastri, who had legitimately earned his track position, was forced to surrender three crucial championship points to Norris. The team’s justification was “pit stop complications.” McLaren explained that a slow pit stop is part of racing and, therefore, the position change was warranted. However, Piastri’s own words revealed a deep-seated frustration and hinted at more severe issues festering within the team.

Speaking about the Monza incident, Piastri stated, “A highly talked about moment. We’ve clarified a lot of things and we know how we’re going to go racing moving forward. What’s happened is done. We’ve had a lot of discussions about how we want to go racing, and a lot of that is to stay for us. If we give out that info, we become very easy targets to pick off because everyone knows what we’re going to do.” The Australian driver’s comments reveal that significant behind-the-scenes discussions have taken place, but the specifics remain shrouded in secrecy. Piastri also acknowledged that “the context wasn’t there about what else had happened in terms of the pit stop sequencing when he was in the car,” suggesting crucial information was deliberately withheld from him during the race.

What makes the Monza situation particularly suspicious is the sequence of events. Norris had initially allowed Piastri to take priority during the pit stop phase, demonstrating what appeared to be fair racing between teammates. However, the team subsequently ordered Piastri to “return the favor” by giving up his track position, effectively penalizing him for circumstances beyond his control.

Former Champion Nico Rosberg Speaks Out: “Assassin Mentality” and Weak Management

Former world champion Nico Rosberg has provided damning insight into McLaren’s handling of the situation, drawing from his own experience of intense teammate battles. Rosberg, who defeated Lewis Hamilton in their legendary 2016 championship fight, believes McLaren has been “lucky” that their two drivers have not yet developed what he calls the “assassin mentality.”

Rosberg explained, “I think McLaren has been a bit lucky that their two drivers are not yet proper assassins. They are just getting there but haven’t arrived yet. I think that’s what’s been holding up the entire situation so far, but the intensity still lies ahead of us because the World Championship is so big. It’s your childhood dream that’s at stake there.”

Rosberg’s analysis extends beyond driver psychology to McLaren’s management approach. He criticized the team’s preparation and decision-making process, stating, “What I would really ask McLaren is, please sit down, take time to plan ahead for as many possible situations as possible and clearly define them amongst your drivers.” He emphasized that, while some situations are hard to plan for, it is still “their duty” to do so.

A Pattern of Preferential Treatment: An Alarming Trend

The pattern of preferential treatment becomes more concerning when examined against McLaren’s historical decisions throughout the 2025 season. Strategic calls consistently appear to favor Norris in crucial moments, while Piastri faces communication gaps and timing irregularities that coincidentally impact his championship prospects. The team’s doctrine of “always putting the team first” seems to be applied selectively, with Piastri often bearing the brunt of sacrificial decisions.

Contract negotiations add another layer of complexity to the situation. Piastri’s manager, Mark Webber, secured his deal with McLaren, but questions remain about hidden clauses regarding driver priority within the team. The dynamics of these negotiations may explain why certain strategic decisions consistently favor the driver who has been with the team since 2019 over the relative newcomer.

Baku Grand Prix: A Potential Flashpoint?

The upcoming Baku Grand Prix represents a potential turning point in this championship battle. Piastri remains confident despite the mounting pressure, stating that things won’t necessarily change if McLaren wins the constructors’ championship in Baku because the team has had “a lot of discussions about how we want to go racing.” However, he emphasized that these strategic details “stay in the house” to prevent competitors from exploiting their knowledge.

Historical precedent suggests that McLaren’s approach in Monza was unprecedented among championship-contending teammates. When Max Verstappen refused to give sixth place back to Sergio Perez in Brazil 2022, he stated his reasons clearly and stuck to his decision. Similarly, during the intense Hamilton-Rosberg rivalry in 2016, team orders requesting position swaps due to strategic complications were “never even considered, let alone implemented.”

Psychological Pressure and Long-Term Consequences

The mathematical reality of the championship fight remains in Piastri’s favor despite the Monza setback. With three sprint races still ahead, offering 24 additional points, and races like Baku, Singapore, and Las Vegas where Verstappen and Ferrari could steal valuable points from both McLaren drivers, the 31-point gap represents a manageable deficit over the eight remaining race weekends.

Norris faces immense pressure as the driver who helped build McLaren into a championship-contending team since joining in 2019. The prospect of losing the team’s first drivers’ championship since 2008 to his younger teammate creates a psychological burden that could influence both his performance and the team’s strategic decisions moving forward.

The tension within McLaren threatens to escalate as the championship fight intensifies. Rosberg’s prediction of “plenty of action ahead” carries significant weight, given his experience of how championship pressure can transform teammate relationships. His warning about “ruined relationships and burned bridges” may prove prophetic if McLaren continues its current approach to managing the rivalry between Piastri and Norris.

The evidence suggests that McLaren’s handling of the Piastri-Norris dynamic represents a dangerous gamble with long-term consequences extending well beyond 2025. The team’s reputation among top-tier drivers and their ability to attract future talent may depend on how they navigate these final eight races.

Unlike established championship-winning teams like Mercedes, Red Bull, or Ferrari, McLaren risks damaging their credibility during what should be their moment of triumph. As the Baku Grand Prix approaches, all eyes will be on McLaren’s strategic decisions and whether the pattern of favoring Norris continues. The championship mathematics, combined with the psychological pressure on both drivers, sets the stage for what could become one of the most controversial teammate battles in Formula 1 history.

This escalating tension at McLaren represents a critical test of the team’s management philosophy and long-term vision. Rosberg’s insights carry particular significance because his 2016 championship battle with Hamilton ultimately became so intense that it drove him to immediate retirement despite winning the title. His prediction of “plenty of action ahead” serves as both a warning and a roadmap for what McLaren can expect as the championship pressure reaches its peak.