Oscar Piastri has caused a large stir in the Formula 1 world after his explosive statements about the situation within the McLaren team. The young Australian driver, who so far was considered one of the most promising talents of the grid, said that he “seriously is considering” to leave the team. According to Piastri, he has been feeling disadvantaged for some time due to the strategic decisions of McLaren, who, according to him, would consistently fall in favor of his teammate Lando Norris.

During the race weekend in Singapore, the tension within the team would have reached a peak. Piastri, who showed himself competitive throughout the weekend, was told, according to rumors that he had to hold his pace to give Norris the opportunity to secure the victory. “I don’t feel honestly treated,” Piastri would have said in the paddock after the race. “I have always given everything for this team, but it is clear that someone else is being pulled.”

McLaren-CEO Zak Brown’s reaction did not take long. In an interview after the race, Brown tried to appease the situation, but his words blows more dust. “We always make decisions in the interest of the team,” he said. “Lando and Oscar are both great drivers, but sometimes we have to make tactical choices.” Many fans and analysts conceived that statement as an implicit confirmation of the alleged preferred treatment for Norris.

A storm of reactions immediately broke out on social media. Many fans expressed their support for Piastri and called McLaren to show more transparency in their strategies. Others emphasized that team orders in Formula 1 are not new, but that the way McLaren deals with it can seriously harm team dynamics. “This can be a new Alonso-Hamilton scenario,” wrote a commentator referring to the infamous internal battle at McLaren in 2007.

The tension within the team itself seems to be felt. Sources close to Piastri reported that the Australian will have conversations with his management in the coming weeks and possibly even with other teams. Although his contract is still ongoing, according to insiders there would be a clause that allows him to leave if certain sporting conditions will not be met.

In the meantime, Norris tries to concentrate on the sporting aspect and announced that he “fully trusts” on the team. Yet nobody can deny that the atmosphere within McLaren has sustained a big dent. With a few more races to go in the season and the championship at stake, it seems difficult to imagine that the collaboration between Piastri and the team in harmony can be continued.

What started as a promising collaboration between two young stars now threatens to run on an open break. If tensions are not solved quickly, McLaren could not only lose a talented driver, but can also seriously harm his reputation as one of the most stable teams on the grid. One thing is certain: this story is not nearly over yet, and the entire Formula 1 world looks breathless.