An Australian senator has used a government committee meeting to raise his concerns over McLaren’s treatment of Oscar Piastri.

It is likely the first time the Australian Senate Rural, Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee has been asked to consider the outcome of a grand prix.

Matt Canavan put the question forward after McLaren’s tactical error in yesterday’s Qatar Grand Prix cost Piastri victory to Max Verstappen and dropped his team mate Lando Norris to fourth place.

“It’s been a bit of a frustrating night for some Australians,” said Canavan. “I don’t know who to ask this to, but you deal with transport and cars. So do you think McLaren is biased against Oscar Piastri and costing him the world championship?”

Canavan did not explain why he suspects McLaren would try to stop one of its own drivers winning the championship. However similar theories have circulated on social media for a variety of reasons.

Piastri is one of three drivers vying for the title along with team mate Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Yesterday’s result meant Piastri, who was leading the championship two months ago, will go into the final round of the season third in the standings.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown recently said it was “frustrating” to hear accusations the team might favour Norris over Piastri. Norris is the current championship leader and joined the team as part of its junior programme six years before Piastri.

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“People are so uninformed with stuff,” he told The Sports Agents. “Unfortunately in today’s social media world and clickbait headlines and everything, the facts are just so wide of the mark sometimes.”

Brown admitted he finds it difficult not to react to accusations about the team on social media. “I’m very thick skinned,” he said. “It’s even kind of weird, I kind of enjoy some of the harassment because it’s so ridiculous. Unfortunately my comm[unications] team won’t let me reply.”

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