Jos Verstappen is scrutinizing the internal dynamics at McLaren with a furrowed brow. If he were Oscar Piastri or his manager Mark Webber, he would certainly be banging his fist on the table. “Piastri hasn’t suddenly forgotten how to drive, has he?” he wonders aloud.
Oscar Piastri was having a successful season earlier this year. In Zandvoort, his teammate Lando Norris dropped out from P2 due to mechanical issues, which increased Piastri’s lead to 34 points. However, since then, it’s the Brit who has taken the upper hand. Norris secured three podium finishes and one victory, while Piastri only made it to the podium once – in Monza, where he had to swap places with Norris after the latter’s slow pit stop.
Jos Verstappen is perplexed by the situation at McLaren. “I find what’s happening at McLaren quite peculiar,” the Dutchman told De Telegraaf. “Piastri hasn’t suddenly forgotten how to drive, has he? If I were him, or his manager (Mark Webber), I would certainly be banging my fist on the table. Because now everyone is wondering if he can handle the pressure. And that’s not good for your own name, in this case, Piastri’s.”
Speculations of Favoritism
Recently, there has been speculation that Norris is receiving preferential treatment within McLaren, partly due to his close relationship with CEO Zak Brown. The team vehemently denies these claims. Max Verstappen understands where these speculations are coming from, but believes it’s not his place to pass judgment. “It might automatically seem that way, but I don’t have insight into it. However, if I were Piastri, I would be standing up for myself now. Everyone assumed he would become champion, and that perception has quickly changed,” he said.
Not in Attendance
Verstappen’s son, Max, has been receiving much praise this season: despite driving a car that is no longer dominant, he continues to win races and secure podium finishes, keeping him in the running for his fifth world title. “He has turned a lesser car into a winning car. That’s unique,” Verstappen states. “I think it’s noticeable now because the gap to the second driver is enormous. And it was the same last year.”
If, against all odds, Max becomes world champion, Verstappen senior will likely not be present. During the last two Formula 1 races of the year, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, he will be participating in the East African Safari Classic Rally in Kenya. “I won’t cancel the rally in Africa, even if Max could still become champion,” Verstappen says. “But if we were to drop out early, I could always fly to Abu Dhabi.”
