Lando Norris clinched his third victory of the 2024 F1 season in dominant fashion at the Singapore Grand Prix, crushing his rivals and finishing over 20 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. Despite narrowing the gap to 52 points with six races remaining, the pressure remains on as the McLaren ace still needs a miracle to dethrone the Dutchman.
Yet, racing legend Jacques Villeneuve insists that if Norris fails to snatch the Drivers’ Championship this season, McLaren, not the British driver, will be to blame. In an explosive interview with Marca, Villeneuve pulled no punches in criticizing the Woking-based team’s strategy, calling it a “mess.”
“If Lando isn’t champion, it’s McLaren’s fault, not his,” Villeneuve declared. “McLaren has already shown their weakness, and it’s too late to fix it. They made a big mistake in Hungary by not prioritizing Norris over [Oscar] Piastri.”
The Hungarian Grand Prix saw Oscar Piastri take his first-ever F1 victory, and Villeneuve suggests that the Australian’s contract, managed by ex-Red Bull racer Mark Webber, may allow him to challenge Norris equally. Villeneuve added, “Mark is a smart guy. He faced similar issues at Red Bull, often playing second fiddle to [Sebastian] Vettel, even when he outperformed him. He won’t let that happen to Oscar.”
Verstappen, now winless for eight consecutive races—a streak reminiscent of the 2020 season—still clings to the championship lead. Villeneuve claims that despite Red Bull’s faltering performance, the 27-year-old’s lead is partially thanks to McLaren’s inability to make decisive calls for Norris.
“Max has shifted his approach; he’s not focusing on winning but on collecting points. That shows maturity,” Villeneuve explained. “He understands the championship is more important than individual wins. He knows McLaren isn’t making the tough decisions needed, and he’s using that to his advantage.”
Villeneuve pointed to the Italian GP at Monza as a critical misstep for McLaren. “Monza should’ve been a one-two for them, but they squandered the opportunity. They lost crucial points, and that’s unacceptable when you’re fighting for a title. Norris is their title contender, and they needed to back him.”
Despite McLaren’s progress from being one of the grid’s slowest teams in early 2023 to now competing for the championship, Villeneuve stresses that their inability to provide unwavering support for Norris could be their downfall. He emphasized that Norris’s current form and multiple race wins have put him in a strong position to challenge Verstappen, but the team’s strategic errors might cost him.
“Max knows Lando is a serious threat. They’ve had some intense battles, and he sees Norris as a true competitor now,” Villeneuve concluded. “It’ll be a thrilling end to the season. It’s going to be close between Max and Lando, but McLaren needs to step up and make the right calls.”
