Villeneuve claims favoritism for 'golden boy' Piastri over Verstappen by the FIA

In just his third year in Formula 1, Piastri has developed into the leading candidate to succeed Max Verstappen as world champion. Of course, there is still a long way to go, but Jacques Villeneuve notes that the 24-year-old driver has his affairs in order.

Not only does Piastri have top material at McLaren, but he also has everything in order in his head, believes the Canadian analyst. “Oscar Piastri doesn’t seem to be affected by pressure and he's got a good mentor in Mark Webber," Villeneuve noted to a betting website.

Villeneuve has even seen that Piastri is particularly beloved in the paddock. The Canadian goes so far as to say that the stewards treat Piastri differently than they do Max Verstappen. “Piastri is loved. He's like the golden child right now.”

That's why Villeneuve says: “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."

During the Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia and Miami, Piastri fought battles with Verstappen. In the end, he emerged as the winner, although that only came about after a time penalty was imposed on Verstappen.