Jacques Villenueve has lambasted McLaren over thꦅeir team orders philosophy claiming “it doesn’t sound like they want to winꦍ”.

This weekend’s F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will see McLaren introduce a new policy of trying to support 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris’ championship bid by p𝓡rioritising🍒 him above Oscar Piastri.

Previously, they had proudl🔯y stated that ‘papaya rules’ dictate they treat both dri𝔉vers as equals.

Team principal Andrea Stella has explained in Baku: “We a✨re incredibly determined to win🔥, but we want to win in the right way.

"We [will] bias our🌌 support to Lando but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles.”

Villeneuve, the 1997 F1 champion, reacted to Sky Sports: “I guess it starts with ‘papaya’ - that doesn’t sound very toug💛h, does it?

“I don’t want to be demeaning. I am trying to find the right words. But I find it a൲ little bit pathetic…

“This is F1, it’s the pinnacle!

“If I was a McLar⛄en fan, I’d be upset. Do they really want to win? Do they care? It doesn’t sound like they want to win.

“It’s beautiful but that’s not F1. You are here to win, that’s all ♋that matters.

“Lando got the be♛tter of Piastri for the first half of the season, he’s the one with a chance to win. You play it b𝔍y that rule.

“I really fail to understand ♍this concept of ‘this is how we work, we are happier to finish second than to win…’

“It is weird.”

'Psychologically Lando lost momentum'

Norris is 62 points behind V꧃erstappen in the drivers’ standings.

That deficit might have been closer had Piastri not overtaken Norris at Monza last time out when ‘papaya ♉ruඣles’ were in force.

Karun Chandhok said about the new team orders: “Lando starꦬted the season more strongly and bagged points early on.

“I am an Oscar fan, he’s a tremendo⛦us talent. He might be their championship contender next year.

“Here and now, they’ve got a chance to 🐷win both championships but they need to back Lando.

“I think it’s come late.”

Asked when McLaren should have started prioritising Norris, Villeneuve chimed in: “Hung𓃲ary!”

Chandhok said: “Midseason. He was 84 points behind Max at that point but you could see the m𒁏omentum shifting.

“Twelve r🍌aces, midway point, sorry Oscar you’re nowꦦ banking the points to support [Lando].

“There are a lot of ‘ifs’ which could have put more points 😼in Lando’s account.”

Villeneuve was asked if Norris is still a 🐽serious championshipꦆ contender.

“Psy🍌chologically Lando has lost momentum,” he answered.

“He kno꧙ws tha♌t he has won’t be helped like he should be.

“Even if he’s quicker, there might be a move, like in Monza, where he doesn’t over-defend and he tries to avoid. If it was a different driver, other than his teamm﷽ate, next to him in that chicane, he would not have gotten out of shape. They might have banged wheels, that’s it. Because it was his teammate, he wasn’t aggressive, and that lost ♊them the 1-2.”

Villene🍌uve has also been critical of how Norris and Piastri have publicly discussed the team’s new rules.

He claiܫms that the resolution should have been: “They should simply say ‘it’s in the contract, we can’t do anything’.

“That would be bette🐲r than a 30-minute explanation about values! No, it’s F1, you are t🍰here to win.”