![\"Piastri](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/XPB_1388816_HiRes.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe debate over alleged bias against Oscar Piastri at McLaren has reached the floors of Parliament. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe debate over alleged bias against Oscar Piastri at McLaren has reached the floors of Parliament. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
In a lighthearted but headline-grabbing exchange during a Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee hearing, Nationals Senator Matt Canavan quizzed department secretary Jim Betts on whether McLaren had hampered Piastri\u2019s title push with questionable strategy calls.<\/p>\n
The room quickly erupted into laughter, but the moment highlighted how strongly some fans \u2014 and now politicians \u2014 have latched onto conspiracy theories swirling around the 24-year-old\u2019s season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a bit of a frustrating night for some Australians,\u201d Canavan said as he raised the Qatar Grand Prix blunder that saw Piastri miss out on victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know who to ask this to, but you deal with transport and cars. So do you think McLaren is biased against Oscar Piastri and costing him the world championship?\u201d<\/p>\n
Betts avoided committing to an answer, prompting Canavan to turn to Regional Affairs Assistant Minister Anthony Chisholm.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely think he\u2019s copped some raw decisions this year,\u201d Chisholm replied, noting his daughter, now \u201cobsessed with F1,\u201d would be \u201cvery upset when she gets up this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
The exchange, delivered with clear humour, highlighted how strongly some fans believe Piastri has been disadvantaged in McLaren\u2019s title fight.<\/p>\n
Those theories gained traction after Qatar, where McLaren\u2019s decision not to pit Piastri and Norris under an early Safety Car<\/a> allowed Max Verstappen to claim a victory Piastri had appeared set to convert from pole.<\/p>\n Fan speculation has also focused on earlier incidents, including team-order controversy at the Italian Grand Prix, where Piastri was instructed to let Norris past<\/a> after a slow pit stop, and on-track tension in Singapore<\/a>, where Norris collided with Piastri on the opening lap and kept the position. While Norris later accepted responsibility, fans saw these uneven outcomes as evidence of bias.<\/p>\n All of this unfolded against the backdrop of McLaren\u2019s interventionist \u2018papaya rules\u2019, which aim to prevent intra-team collisions but have often left Piastri on the unfavourable side of team judgement calls.<\/p>\n McLaren has repeatedly denied favouritism, insisting they will not impose team orders for the title decider, even after Piastri revealed a conversation in Qatar about potentially assisting Norris in the final two rounds.<\/p>\n