Former champion Nico Rosberg has spoken out about the ongoing rumors that Lando Norris has always received preferential treatment within McLaren. Many fans have recently suggested that Oscar Piastri has been too often the victim of team orders and the infamous papaya rules, and that McLaren would simply favor Norris for the title. According to Rosberg, this is logical, given Norris’s status among fans and within the team.
Both McLaren drivers are still in contention for the world title this weekend. Oscar Piastri led the standings for a long time this year, but has since been pushed back to third place; Norris is leading, followed by Max Verstappen. Piastri lamented a costly retirement in Azerbaijan, but in many cases, he also simply lacked pace. Some fans suspected that McLaren favors Norris for the title, and some even claimed that Piastri was being sabotaged.
According to Nico Rosberg, it is logical that Norris enjoys a slight preference in Woking, partly due to his long history with the team. Since the last GP in Qatar, he is the driver with the most starts for McLaren. “For Oscar, this is a very difficult situation,” the German told Sky Sports. “He was the leader for most of the championship and seemed to be the dominant force, but then Lando came back. It’s a British team, and you can feel that in everything. I’ve heard a thing or two, from Mark Webber (Piastri’s manager) for example. Everyone is a bit keen to push Norris forward as world champion,” said Rosberg.
Norris’ Popularity
According to Rosberg, Norris’ popularity also plays a role. “I also think that Lando, in general, is the most popular driver for everyone – including the fans,” he added. “In a fan survey, he tops the list. I’m sure he will also be quite popular internally. So it’s just a very difficult situation for Oscar. And of course, you start to have nasty thoughts, like: ‘Hey, maybe the team prioritized the other driver at that time.’ That’s inevitable. So it’s a tough situation.”
However, Rosberg also complimented Norris’ resurgence in the recent Grands Prix. During the Mexico City GP, the 26-year-old driver regained the lead in the championship. He is said to have significantly improved his weak points. “Lando has done a great job developing himself,” concluded the former champion. “It was Lando’s weaknesses that allowed Oscar to pull away mid-season, but he has simply improved himself. He has bounced back and is now making far fewer mistakes. That’s just very impressive, so hats off.”
