McLaren’s inbox has been inundated by supporters accusing the team of giving Lando Norris the short end of the stick as the 2025 season gathers momentum.
Screenshots circulating on social media reveal passionate pleas for “fair treatment” after Oscar Piastri’s run of three straight wins propelled the Australian past his team-mate in both victories and points.
One message, typical of the tone, declared:
“As a long-time supporter of McLaren and an admirer of your legacy in motorsport, I feel compelled to express my profound disappointment and frustration regarding the recent treatment of Lando Norris, both internally and publicly.”
A Championship Tightrope
Piastri leads the standings on 131 points, with Norris close behind on 115 and Max Verstappen a further 16 adrift. The sudden shift has sparked inevitable questions about when McLaren will choose a de-facto number one to maximise its drivers’ championship hopes. Senior figures insist both racers remain free to fight – but history shows prolonged intra-team rivalry can lose titles as quickly as it wins them.
From Underdogs to Pace-Setters
Rewind twelve months and McLaren were still clawing back ground on Red Bull. A late-season surge secured their first constructors’ crown since 1998, with Norris clinging to P2 in the drivers’ race while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc threatened to spoil the party. That momentum has carried into 2025: the MCL40 has emerged as the class of the field, toppling Red Bull’s long-standing aerodynamic advantage at circuits as varied as Bahrain, Miami and Saudi Arabia.
Fan Frustration Boils Over
Norris remains in the best competitive position of his career, yet sections of the McLaren fanbase view recent strategy calls as subtly favouring Piastri. Complaints cite perceived under-cuts, tyre-choice debates and radio messages that appeared to shift priority away from the Briton once Piastri seized the championship lead. McLaren’s communications department has so far declined to comment, a choice interpreted by some supporters as tacit acknowledgement that team orders could surface later in the calendar. Behind the scenes, insiders maintain any disparities stem from on-track scenarios, not a deliberate tilt toward the Australian.
Balancing Two Title Shots
Team principal Andrea Stella faces the classic headache: back one driver early and risk alienating the other, or let them race and risk splitting points while rivals close in. With Oscar Piastri matching Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen and Alain Prost as the only McLaren scorers of three consecutive wins, pressure is mounting to build the campaign around the 23-year-old. Yet Norris, 25, remains only 16 points adrift and has already claimed a season-opening triumph in Melbourne.
No Response, All Focus on Imola
Neither Norris nor Piastri has publicly addressed the wave of emails, preferring to concentrate on Sunday’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Engineers are set to debut a lighter floor in search of extra downforce through Imola’s rapid direction changes, while the drivers refine qualifying trim in simulator sessions.
The team knows it must keep harmony intact to fend off a resurgent Mercedes and whatever upgrades Red Bull unveils in Europe.
The Road Ahead
McLaren’s renaissance has delivered a car capable of sweeping both championships, but that same pace has amplified scrutiny of every tactical nuance. Whether the squad eventually designates a lead driver or allows an in-house duel, the torrent of passionate emails underscores how fiercely fans invest in Norris’s success.
The challenge for Woking is to harness that energy without letting it fracture a partnership that, so far, has pushed the team back to the sport’s summit.