Martin Brundle explains ‘subconscious’ McLaren Norris bias theory

Martin Brundle suggested that McLaren may have “subconsciously” shown some bias to Lando Norris, but definitely not deliberately.

During the F1 2025 title battle between Norris and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, unsubstantiated claims emerged online, pointing to McLaren bias towards Norris. Brundle suggested that Norris sticking with McLaren through the hard times earned him “some currency”, but stated, like McLaren did consistently, that there was no intentional bias.

‘Subconscious’ McLaren Norris bias theory explained by Brundle

McLaren resisted all calls to prioritise either Norris or Piastri throughout their F1 2025 title battle. It was an approach which paid off, with Norris winning his first Drivers’ title, while McLaren retained the Constructors’ crown with six rounds to spare.

Despite McLaren’s approach, moments such as the Monza swap order, fuelled internet rumours of bias. Piastri yielded to Norris, who suffered a slow stop, and pitted after his teammate despite being ahead on the road, resulting in Norris returning to the track behind Piastri.

Racer turned Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle was asked if he believes that McLaren favoured Norris, or if the theory was nonsense.

Norris joined the McLaren F1 line-up as an academy graduate in 2019. Since then, he has experienced McLaren sinking to the lower reaches of the pack, and rebounding to become the sport’s dominant force.

Norris’ show of faith in the team, Brundle argues, will carry weight, but not in the form of conscious bias.

“Where can we see that absolutely specifically?” Brundle began on the McLaren favouring Norris chatter.

“Subconsciously, possibly. Remember, he’s been there since 2017, and Lando, when he could have gone to another team, when McLaren were last and nowhere, he was like, ‘I’m staying here. I believe in this team’.

“So I think he’s got some currency from that.

“But I think the team have tried to be super, super fair, almost put an engineering solution to a human issue, and they’ve tripped over themselves quite a few times this year, doing that.

“They’ve got two bulls in one field, and they want to run it like that. That’s why they’ve got 800 points in the Constructors’ Championship, and their nearest rival is late 400 points.

“So something’s working, but whatever they’ve done, the perception, which is more important than reality, probably, is that they found they favour Lando.”

Brundle’s Sky F1 colleague, 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg, added: “I think Lando, at the moment, is the most popular driver in the sport, and I think internally, also he’ll be very popular. So that is one side.

“But I think factually, then I believe McLaren really tries to treat their drivers absolutely equally and give them both the best possibilities possible.

“Just that McLaren, as you said, Martin, just didn’t get it quite right at times, and that didn’t look too good from the outside.”

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McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown was asked on talkSPORT how McLaren keeps its drivers happy.

His response tied into driver treatment.

“You keep them happy by treating them equally, fairly, equitably, great communications,” said Brown.

“But they have days that they’re not happy, but that’s sport, right? Those days, every team is not happy. They don’t feel the team played well. Their teammates didn’t play well. They didn’t play well. The manager made the wrong decision on the sideline.

“So they’re no different.

“But their happiness is great, and their collaboration between the two of them is awesome.”

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