Danica Patrick’s Explosive Claim Sparks Controversy: Piastri and Norris “Not Worthy” of 2025 Belgian GP Win, Verstappen Robbed
The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, held July 25-27, has ignited a firestorm of controversy after former IndyCar star Danica Patrick labeled McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris as “not worthy” of their 1-2 finish, insisting Red Bull’s Max Verstappen deserved the victory. Patrick’s scathing remarks, made on her Sky Sports F1 podcast, have divided fans and fueled debate, with some accusing her of bias toward Verstappen, while others question McLaren’s dominant performance amid ongoing FIA scrutiny over their MCL38’s rear wing. As Piastri’s sixth win of 2025 extends his championship lead to 16 points, Patrick’s bold claim—echoed by posts on X—has thrust the Belgian GP into the spotlight, raising questions about fairness, driver merit, and the FIA’s handling of a rain-hit race that saw Verstappen finish fourth.
Patrick’s outburst came after McLaren’s commanding performance in the wet-dry conditions at Spa, where Piastri overtook pole-sitter Norris on the first racing lap after a delayed rolling start, securing a 3.4-second victory, per The Guardian. Patrick argued that Verstappen’s racecraft and Red Bull’s wet-weather setup made him the rightful winner, telling Sky Sports F1, “Max was the only one with the pace and bravery to win that race. McLaren’s car is too good—it’s not a fair fight.” She pointed to Verstappen’s ability to fend off Piastri in the Sprint race, where he capitalized on Red Bull’s higher downforce setup, per Motorsport.com, and claimed the FIA’s 80-minute race delay due to poor visibility unfairly penalized Red Bull’s strategy, per RacingNews365. Her comments align with Verstappen’s own criticism of the FIA’s “silly” and “too cautious” delay, which he argued cost him a chance to race in wetter conditions where his RB21 excelled, per The Independent.
McLaren’s dominance, with Piastri’s precise overtake through Eau Rouge and tire management on mediums, was lauded by team principal Andrea Stella, who called it “very high quality,” per BBC Sport. Norris, despite lock-ups at La Source and a mistake at Pouhon, conceded Piastri’s superiority, stating, “Oscar deserved it today. He committed more through Eau Rouge,” per The Canberra Times. However, Patrick doubled down, claiming McLaren’s car advantage—bolstered by a suspected “mini-DRS effect” in their rear wing, now under FIA investigation—undermined the drivers’ achievements, per TheJudge13. She argued Verstappen’s fourth-place finish, 40 seconds behind Piastri, was a result of Red Bull’s misjudged setup for a full wet race, not a lack of skill, per Motorsport.com. Posts on X, like @F1_Newsletter, amplified Patrick’s view, with some fans agreeing Verstappen was “robbed” by the FIA’s caution, while others, like @JunaidSamodien_, branded her comments “sour grapes” from a Verstappen supporter.
The FIA’s investigation into McLaren’s rear wing, prompted by Verstappen’s earlier accusations of illegal flexing, adds fuel to Patrick’s claims, per Motorsport Week. Red Bull’s Pierre Waché provided onboard footage suggesting McLaren’s wing violates 2025’s stricter aerodynamic rules, potentially offering a banned speed boost, per The Race. If found non-compliant, McLaren risks penalties, including disqualification, which could retroactively hand Verstappen the win, per TheJudge13. McLaren’s Zak Brown dismissed the allegations, telling F1Oversteer, “Our car is legal. Red Bull’s just deflecting.” The controversy echoes Patrick’s 2024 critique of Norris, where she urged him to stop admitting inferiority to Verstappen, per GPBlog, suggesting a pattern of favoring the Dutchman.
McLaren’s 460-point constructors’ lead over Ferrari (222 points) and Red Bull (172 points) underscores their 2025 dominance, with six 1-2 finishes, per BBC Sport. Piastri’s 16-point championship lead over Norris, and 69 points over Verstappen, positions him as the title favorite heading to Hungary, per The Athletic. Yet, Patrick’s remarks highlight the pressure on McLaren, with both drivers at their engine component limits, risking grid penalties, per GPFans. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, third at Spa, and Lewis Hamilton, who climbed from 18th to seventh, showed resilience, but Mercedes’ George Russell, fifth, and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, 13th, struggled, per Motorsport.com. The Formula 2 fallout, with McLaren’s Alex Dunne and Red Bull’s Arvid Lindblad disqualified for technical breaches, further intensified scrutiny on both teams, per @OmiComms on X.
Patrick’s “not worthy” jibe has polarized the paddock, with fans on X split between defending McLaren’s brilliance and supporting Verstappen’s claim to a robbed victory. As the FIA’s probe looms, the Belgian GP’s legacy is one of controversy, with Piastri’s win under threat and Verstappen’s title hopes hinging on a potential McLaren penalty. Hungary, the final race before the summer break, promises more drama as McLaren defends its dominance and Verstappen fights to close the gap. Spa’s rain-soaked saga has set the stage for a championship showdown that could redefine 2025.
