McLaren received a lot of criticism from fans on social media. They accused the team of openly favoring Lando Norris in the battle for the Formula 1 title. This led to a collision in Turn 3, after which the championship leader became furious and complained over the on-board radio. Piastri demanded that McLaren inform Norris that he had to give back his position.
Tensions within McLaren are reaching a boiling point, and the fans don’t have the heart to bash the team mercilessly. The recent clash between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri during the opening round of the Singapore Grand Prix has unleashed a wave of criticism on social media. Fans, who have been brooding over alleged favoritism towards the British driver for months, see this incident as confirmation of their worst suspicions. McLaren, having just won its second consecutive constructors’ title, now faces a dilemma: how do you keep two hungry talents in check without disrupting the harmony?
Let’s rewind to that fateful first corner on the Marina Bay circuit. It was a chaotic start, with Norris aggressively diving in at Turn 3, trying to gain position on his teammate Piastri. In the heat of the moment, Norris first hit Max Verstappen on the inside, causing his McLaren to swerve. The result? A strong touch with Piastri on the outside of the corner. The Australian, who at the time took the championship lead with a 22-point lead over Norris, had to slam on the brakes to avoid the wall. He tumbled back to fourth, while Norris came through in third – with a damaged front wing that would haunt him for the rest of the race.
There were fireworks over the on-board radio. “What a shitty job this is,” Piastri snapped, visibly frustrated. “Tell Lando to give back his position. This isn’t fair.” The 24-year-old driver, who has already had to deviate from team orders in favor of Norris several times this season, felt ignored. It wasn’t the first time; in Hungary and Italy earlier this year, McLaren had already instructed Piastri to swap positions, often after strategic decisions that worked out in Norris’ favor. At Monza just a few weeks ago, a slow pit stop for Norris led to Piastri temporarily finishing second, only to be ordered back off. “We said a slow stop is part of the race,” Piastri had already commented at the time, hinting at the growing discontent.
Norris, who finished with a podium after the race but did not want to downplay his title rivalry, reacted coolly. “That’s racing,” he said laconically to the press. “We pushed hard, but clean. There was no intention to crash.” But things are bubbling behind the scenes. Piastri’s anger was not only directed at his teammate, but also at the team management. CEO Zak Brown repeated his mantra: “We let them race.” Still, that rang hollow to many fans. Discussions exploded on platforms like X and Reddit. “McLaren protects their golden boy Norris at the expense of Piastri,” tweeted a fan with thousands of likes. Another: “Oscar has had to give way four times this year. When will Lando finally get an order against him?” The criticism focused on team boss Andrea Stella, who refused to intervene in Singapore. “This was a consequence of a different race situation with Verstappen,” he explained. “We are reviewing it internally, but team orders are not changing.”
The social media storm is not just a regurgitation. McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ – their policy of equal opportunities and tough but fair racing – are under pressure. Piastri, the relatively inexperienced Australian who excelled this year with victories in Bahrain and Zandvoort, feels disadvantaged. Norris, the British veteran with his charismatic appearance and marketing value, seems to be favored in crucial moments. Fans point to the Italian GP, where a strategic decision to pit Piastri earlier saved Norris’ position despite an incorrect stop. “The team prioritizes the championship leader? No, they prioritize Norris,” it sounded broad. Memes of an angry Piastri flooded timelines, and hashtags like #JusticeForPiastri and #McLarenBias went viral.
What does this mean for the rest of the season? With six races to go, including the double header in America and the final in Abu Dhabi, the title battle hangs in the balance. Piastri leads with 22 points, but Norris’ consistent podiums make him a serious threat. McLaren has secured the constructors’ title, a feat Brown called “historic” – the first back-to-back since 1991. But the drivers’ title remains elusive, and internal rivalry threatens to tear the team apart. Stella acknowledges the tension: “We need good conversations, just like after Canada. This makes us stronger.” Piastri, who dodged post-race questions by saying he had yet to see the replay, hinted at a split. “I’ll take the lessons with me and move on,” he said cryptically.
Experts warn of a repeat of Mercedes’ mistakes in the Hamilton-Rosberg era, where team orders poisoned the dynamics. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff commented: “McLaren’s focus on fairness is admirable, but could bite later in the season if Norris and Piastri are neck-and-neck.” Indeed, if Norris takes over, policy would suddenly change, critics fear. Lewis Hamilton, who himself survived team orders, gave Piastri advice: “Ignore them if it doesn’t feel fair.” The Australian nodded in agreement, which further stirred emotions.
For McLaren this is a wake-up call. The fans, who keep the sport alive with their passion, demand transparency. The collision in Turn 3 was not an incident, but a symptom of deeper friction. Will Piastri keep his cool, or will he strike back in Austin? Norris, who defends himself as the underdog, must prove he is more than a media animal. And McLaren? They must balance between team spirit and individual ambition, without wasting their title opportunity. Formula 1 thrives on drama, but this internal battle threatens to fade the papaya colour. The fans watch, and their criticism echoes. It’s time for McLaren to listen – before the title escapes in a cloud of smoke and rubber.
