The Formula 1 world has again been discredited by controversial statements by former world champion Jacques Villeneuve. The Canadian, who won the world title in 1997, accused the FIA, the international motorsport federation, of manipulating the championship results in the 2025 season by Max Verstappen stricter than his competitors, in particular McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. Villeneuve’s comments, expressed during an interview with Vision4Sport on 13 May 2025, have unleashed a wave of discussion in the paddock and among fans, especially because this year Verstappen has difficulty retaining his dominance in a more competitive field.
Villeneuve’s accusations focus on what he sees as an unequal treatment of drivers by the FIA. According to the former driver, Piastri, who won four wins this season in the first six races and the lead in the championship, is punished less quickly than Verstappen. “If something happens, Piastri does not get punishment as quickly as Max Verstappen, for example. That also helps enormously in the battle for the championship,” Villeneuve said. He pointed to incidents in Saudi Arabia and Miami, where Piaastri started fighting with Verstappen and came out as the winner, partly due to a time penalty for the Dutchman in Jeddah. This inequality in punishments, Villeneuve says, Piastri gives an unfair advantage in the title race.
Villeneuve’s criticism comes at a time when Verstappen, which won four world titles in a row, is going through a challenging season. McLaren has a strong car this year, and Piaastri leads the championship with 32 points ahead of Verstappen, which is in third place. This season, Verstappen has had to deal with several penalties, including a striking collision with George Russell during the Grand Prix of Spain on 1 June 2025, for which he received a time penalty and penalty points on his super license. With eight penalty points on his license, Verstappen is only one point away from a possible suspension, which further puts pressure on his title chances. Villeneuve suggests that the FIA’s stricter approach to Verstappen is part of a broader agenda to make the competition more exciting by disadvantaging the Dutchman.
Villeneuve’s statements are not without precedent. Earlier this season, Jos Verstappen, the father of Max, also criticized the FIA ​​after two time penalties of ten seconds that Max received during the Grand Prix of Mexico in 2024. Jos called the decisions of the stewards “striking” and suggested that there was batchedness. Fia-Steward Johnny Herbert, who was involved in those punishments, defended the decisions, but also stated that he was a “huge fan” of Verstappen, which did not reduce tensions. These incidents have further fueled the discussion about the consistency of the FIAs steward decisions.
The FIA ​​itself responded to the growing criticism by adjusting the rules on inappropriate language and misconduct in May 2025. The maximum fines for such violations were halved, and stewards can now impose conditional punishments in the event of a first violation. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized that these changes are meant to better manage emotions during races, but critics, including Villeneuve, see this as an attempt to appease public perception without tackling the core of the problem. Verstappen himself has indicated that he is more careful in his statements, especially after the introduction of stricter rules against Schelden, which in 2025 can yield fines of up to 240,000 euros and even suspensions.
The controversy surrounding the FIAs also has broader implications for the sport. Villeneuve’s comments feed speculations about the future of Verstappen, which according to rumors may leave Red Bull in 2026 because of the new engine regulations and the strong performance of competitors such as Mercedes. Despite his contract until 2028, a clause could allow him to leave if Red Bull does not remain competitive. For the time being, Verstappen remains focused, but his recent silence in the media, as reported by Racingnews365, suggests that he feels the pressure of FIA and public opinion.
While the 2025 season continues, the question remains whether the FIA’s decisions will actually influence the championship results. Villeneuve’s accusations have the spotlights aimed at the integrity of the sport, and fans are eagerly looking forward to the upcoming races to see if Verstappen can make up for his backlog or whether Piastri’s alleged preferred treatment will give him the title.
