Jacques Villeneuve criticises Lando Norris for Monza move he should avoid in F1 title fight

Red Bull asked Verstappen to give up the position, but he quickly regained it and maintained control for the rest of the race. While there was talk about how Norris raced early on, his result still helped him cut into Piastri’s championship lead.

Jacques Villeneuve says Lando Norris should never help Oscar Piastri after Monza pit stop call

During the sole round of pit stops, McLaren faced significant social media backlash for their team orders. Oscar Piastri was called in first for a swift 1.9-second stop, aimed at defending against a potential undercut from Charles Leclerc.

Norris was given the choice of when to pit and opted to stay out, hoping to avoid being undercut by his teammate.. However, a jam in his front-left wheel gun allowed Piastri to gain position.

The team then told Piastri to give the position back, which sparked plenty of backlash from fans and pundits alike. David Coulthard accused McLaren of ‘manipulating’ the race after their own mistake.

While most criticism focused on McLaren’s strategy decisions, Jacques Villeneuve questioned Norris for agreeing to let Piastri pit first. Even though Norris could not have known his stop would be slower, the 1997 world champion believes he should not be making any concessions in a title battle.

Speaking on F1 TV’s Post-Race Show at Monza, Villeneuve said:

“He seems to race Max better than he races his teammate every time.

“Because what I don’t understand is why did he tell the team: ‘Oh no, it’s OK, pit Piastri before me.’ You want to be world champion, you don’t do anything to help your teammate ever.”

Lando Norris given clear advice for title challenge against Oscar Piastri

With 31 points separating the two McLaren drivers and eight races still to go, plus three Sprints, Norris has enough time to close the gap. Piastri is still considered the favourite, so the pressure is not as heavy on Norris just yet.

Despite Bernie Ecclestone’s suggestion that McLaren might favour Norris in a close title race, the team affirmed equal opportunities for both drivers.

Juan Pablo Montoya believes Norris needs to hold back some information from Piastri, especially after practice sessions. The Brit often sets the pace early in weekends, but sharing too much may have contributed to Piastri’s win at Zandvoort.

Beyond that, Guenther Steiner stated both drivers must set aside friendship to win the championship as the season concludes. Only one can win.