Jacques Villeneuve believes that if Lando Norris fails to win this year’s F1 Drivers’ Championship, the blame will rest squarely on McLaren’s shoulders rather than with the British driver’s performance.
Norris currently sits 52 points behind Max Verstappen in the standings, with 180 points still available across the final six rounds, including three sprint events.
Although Norris recently reduced the gap to his rival by claiming a dominant victory in Singapore, Verstappen remains in a relatively comfortable position and can afford to finish second in every remaining race and sprint without losing the title.
While Norris has shown impressive pace and consistency, Villeneuve believes that McLaren's strategic errors and team dynamics have hindered the team's title aspirations.
"If Lando is not champion, it will be McLaren’s fault, not his," Villeneuve said in an interview with Spain’s Marca. "McLaren has made a mess of things and it’s too late now."
The 1997 F1 world champion pointed to several strategic blunders by McLaren that may have already cost Norris crucial points in the title fight.
One key moment came in Hungary, when team orders allowed Norris to undercut teammate Oscar Piastri, but McLaren then asked Norris to let Piastri back through, a move that Villeneuve viewed as a sign of weakness.
"It started in Hungary, they have shown real weakness by not giving priority to Norris over Piastri," Villeneuve explained.
"We don’t know what Oscar’s contract says, but Mark Webber, his manager, is a smart guy. Mark was always at the wrong end of the spectrum at Red Bull, even when he was beating [Sebastian] Vettel. I am sure he will not let history repeat itself for Oscar."
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Villeneuve believes that McLaren's failure to make decisive calls in favor of Norris has allowed Verstappen to maintain his championship lead.
"Max has changed his approach. He is not trying to win races, but just to rack up points,” argued the Canadian.
“That shows maturity. The championship is more important than winning individual races. He knows that McLaren is not making the tough decisions that it should, and that will be in his favor.”
The former Williams driver also pointed to the team’s performance at Monza as another missed opportunity for Norris.
“If you look at Monza, it should have been a one-two for McLaren. They lost points as a team and that should never have happened. Norris is the one who is fighting for the drivers’ championship.”
Despite McLaren’s missteps, Villeneuve believes that Verstappen recognizes Norris as a genuine threat in the title battle.
“Max realises he is a threat. They have had some real battles, which is good, and I think he sees him as a real competitor now," Villeneuve said.
With McLaren hoping that an upgrade for the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin can give Norris the edge he needs, the pressure is on the team to ensure they maximize every remaining opportunity.
Villeneuve, however, remains skeptical about their ability to support Norris's title bid effectively, warning that it could ultimately cost him the championship.
"It just needs a bit more from Lando to be more competitive, but it will be a fun end to the season," Villeneuve concluded. "It will be very close between Max and Lando."
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