Piastri enters the final weekend of the F1 season needing a lot to go his way<\/a>, currently trailing second-placed Max Verstappen by four points and teammate Lando Norris by 16. <\/p>\n McLaren team principal Andrea Stella confirmed earlier in the week that Piastri would be free to fight Norris for the title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, although he added that the team\u2019s broader philosophy of fairness for both drivers will not change.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to the fact that we have two drivers in the quest for the World Championship, our philosophy and our approach will not change,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n \u201cWe will leave both Oscar and Lando the possibility to compete and pursue their aspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n Stella\u2019s comments, however, will do little to dispel the outside noise after a brutal race strategy blunder from McLaren cost Piastri a shot at a crucial race victory last week.<\/p>\n That error in judgement only further added fuel to conspiracy theories of preferential treatment from McLaren towards Norris and while Piastri has consistently played them down, former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve suggested deep down the Australian may feel differently.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the years, you\u2019ve heard so many teams or drivers, where one side of a team complains about conspiracies, and then it turns out that it was the other way around,\u201d Villeneuve told CoinPoker<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you\u2019re on the losing end or you\u2019re in a bad spell, everything goes through your mind, and then you have people that talk to you saying, \u2018Of course they\u2019re trying to shaft you. Of course, they\u2019re trying to bring you down.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThen you start believing it and because you believe it, you make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Brown and Piastri’s awkward moment | 00:17<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Villeneuve even suggested that if Piastri was in a position where he was asked to listen to team orders he may not be so willing to do so this time around with the title on the line.<\/p>\n \u201cWill Piastri help Norris win the championship if he can\u2019t? No, because until the last lap Piastri could still win the championship,\u201d Villeneuve said.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the last lap, both Max and Norris could blow an engine.\u201d<\/p>\n Villeneuve\u2019s comments came as a report from CODE Sports<\/a> lifted the lid on the tense situation at McLaren, including one sight at last weekend\u2019s Qatar Prix that didn\u2019t go unnoticed. <\/p>\n While McLaren\u2019s botched strategy cost Piastri a shot at the win, he still was able to get onto the podium in second place. <\/p>\n However, Piastri was joined by just two members of the McLaren crew in contrast to the dozens that are usually in attendance. <\/p>\n According to the CODE Sports report, Piastri noticed it too and words were exchanged behind closed doors.<\/p>\n One veteran UK reporter told the publication that Piastri\u2019s mistreatment was the worst he\u2019d ever seen towards a top driver, while a F1 insider called the bias against the Australian \u201cunquestionable\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s disgusting to see what\u2019s happening. It\u2019s like he\u2019s fighting with one arm tied behind his back,\u201d the insider said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s constantly being undermined by the team.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE MCLAREN NEWS<\/p>\n McLaren\u2019s Piastri rap sheet laid bare \u2014 and the murky waters it was never going to avoid<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764530230_348_poster-fallback.png\"\/)
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