'Piastri is loved He's like golden child right now, If something happens he won’t be given penalties': Max Verstappen receives stern warning

As the 2025 Formula 1 title race heats up, former world champion Jacques Villeneuve has issued a word of caution to reigning champion Max Verstappen. According to Villeneuve, the Dutch driver could face a tougher time with the stewards compared to rising star Oscar Piastri, who he believes is currently seen as F1's "golden child."

Villeneuve: Piastri May Be Treated More Leniently

Speaking to Vision4Sport, 1997 world champion Villeneuve pointed out a potential imbalance in how race incidents are judged this season. He suggested that McLaren's Oscar Piastri may be receiving favorable treatment from race stewards, something that could significantly impact the title fight.

“Piastri is loved. He's like the golden child right now. If something happens, he won’t be given penalties as easily as Max Verstappen is, for instance. That's also a big help in fighting for a championship,” Villeneuve claimed.

Webber’s Mentorship a Key Factor for Calm Piastri

Villeneuve also praised Piastri's composed nature and credited the presence of former F1 driver Mark Webber—now Piastri’s manager—as a stabilizing influence behind the scenes.

“Oscar Piastri doesn’t seem to be affected by pressure and he's got a good mentor in Mark Webber,” he said.

“He is somebody Oscar can lean on. I wouldn’t go as far as to say father-figure, but there's this balance, this energy in place between them and that's super helpful.”

The 24-year-old Australian has already demonstrated exceptional poise in high-pressure situations, notably outpacing Verstappen to claim victories in both Saudi Arabia and Miami. These results have propelled Piastri to a 16-point lead over teammate Lando Norris in the current drivers’ standings.

Verstappen Faces a Familiar Challenge

Drawing comparisons to one of F1’s most memorable intra-team rivalries, Villeneuve likened Verstappen’s current scenario to the tense battles between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during their time at Mercedes.

“It reminds me of when we had Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg fighting for the championship,” Villeneuve noted.

“If they made the same move, Nico would get a penalty. In the following race, if Lewis made the same move, he wouldn't be penalised.”

According to the Canadian, this kind of subjective judgement can influence title outcomes—and Verstappen may be on the receiving end this time.

“There is this slight imbalance which is human and Piastri is on the right side of the balance,” he added.