McLaren favouritism toward Norris has Verstappen ‘laughing’, claims Ecclestone

Determined not to play favourites in the title fight, Bernie Ecclestone has warned McLaren that it’s going to hand the championship to Max Verstappen.

Nearing the end of a campaign in which McLaren’s repeated warning to never count Verstappen out appeared more theatre than reality, reality has hit the Woking team. And hard.

McLaren v Max Verstappen: All you need to know

•  McLaren stands by fairness so long as the ‘mathematics’ holds
•  But Bernie Ecclestone calls out Woking team’s ‘signs’
• Max Verstappen ‘laughing’ to fifth World title?

Following the Dutch Grand Prix, round 15 of the World Championship, Verstappen looked to be out of the title fight.

Although he finished on the podium that Sunday, Verstappen was runner-up to championship leader Oscar Piastri and dropped 104 points behind the Australian driver. He was also 70 down on second-placed Lando Norris despite the Briton retiring due to an engine issue.

Four race weekends later, the trio are still first, second and third, but the numbers are a lot closer.

With just one podium since Zandvoort and two retirements, Piastri crashing out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the opening lap before being involved in a multi-car crash at the Sprint in Austin, the McLaren driver has scored just 37 points, his lowest four-race haul of the entire season.

Norris, meanwhile, brought in 57 points, but even that wasn’t close to Verstappen. The reigning World Champion grabbed 101 of the 108 points available over the four weekends with three grand prix wins, a P2, and a victory in the Austin Sprint.

It’s seen him slash his deficit to the McLaren pairing, and notably to Piastri.

From 104 points after Zandvoort, that gap is down to 40 points, while his 70 points to Norris in second place have been reduced to 26.

But it’s not second place that Verstappen wants, it’s the title.

Refusing to back one driver over the other, the Woking team’s stance on priority has split its allegiance between Piastri and Norris whereas Red Bull has just one driver in mind: Verstappen.

Even in the face of the Red Bull driver’s renewed challenge, McLaren is standing by its ethos that until such a time as one driver is out of the fight mathematically, both will be given all the tools needed to fight for the title.

“When it comes to having to make a call as to a driver,” McLaren team principal Andrea Stella told PlanetF1.com and other outlets in Austin, “this will only be read by mathematics.

“You know, we talked before about the experience, and leaning on the experience, I can recall at least [in] 2007, 2010, in which you go to the last race, and it’s actually the third [driver in the standings] that wins the championship.

“So we’re not going to close the door, unless this is closed by mathematics.”

More to McLaren’s words than just fairness?

Ecclestone reckons it will be Verstappen who has the last laugh over that.

At a time when McLaren has repeatedly been accused of favouring Norris, the former F1 supremo also believes the Woking team wants Norris to win the World title.

Not only did Piastri have to give second place back to Norris at the Italian Grand Prix after a pit stop issue for Norris, a situation that many pundits believe was considered in McLaren’s pre-race briefing as a racing incident, but the Aussie was also slighted by the team’s lack of team orders when Norris hit him in Singapore.

That Sunday, Norris was allowed to stay ahead of Piastri on track despite both McLaren drivers accepting later that it was “against” McLaren’s papaya regulations.

Ecclestone reckons McLaren will pay a hefty price come the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

“All signs at McLaren point to Lando Norris becoming World Champion and not Oscar Piastri,” he told Sport Bild. “You are making a mistake.

“Max Verstappen will be the laughing, third [in the standings] and become World Champion again.”

F1 2025: The season’s winners and losers

👉 The results of the F1 2025 championship

👉 The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings

McLaren created more suspicion with ‘private’ repercussions

Although McLaren denied as recently as Austin that there was any favouritism involved, Piastri declaring himself “happy” with the state of play, the team’s refusal to reveal Norris’ punishment for his Singapore collision with his teammate raises questions.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown refused to go into details, saying: “No, we don’t want to get into that. I think it’s private business between us.”

But interestingly, he added, “We worked with them with different consequences for different situations. It was a pretty minor situation, so it’s a pretty minor consequence.”

Minor consequence? What does that even mean?

Was Lando given a talking to? Made to pick up the bill for dinner? Shut out from the next barbecue? Given second call in qualifying? Second to pit no matter the situation?

Or will Oscar get to stand on the top step like Austria 2002 if Norris beats him to the title?

McLaren’s choice to stay silent on Norris’ punishment for Singapore may have saved it from rivals clueing in on its strategy, qualifying, grand prix or otherwise, but it has left the Woking team open to further accusations of bias.

Accusations, and suspicions, that could follow the team beyond the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

Read next: Fernando Alonso offers firm reality check on Max Verstappen title hype