Jacques Villeneuve has admonished McLaren for its handling of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where it finished second and third.
The Canadian called out what he believes to be "weakness" within the reigning constructors' champions for not being "aggressive" enough in pursuit of victory at Imola.
Max Verstappen won his second round of the season, pulling off a sensational move around the outside of Oscar Piastri into the first corner.
However, the Red Bull driver was heavily aided by the Australian being caught "sleeping", in the words of Villeneuve.
After the safety car restart, the Woking squad opted not to swap Piastri and Lando Norris, despite the latter being on fresher tyres.
Once he did make his way past his team-mate, Verstappen was out of sight. It was a decision - or lack thereof - which puzzled the 1997 F1 drivers' champion.
"They show weakness, basically," Villeneuve said on Sky Sports F1. "They don’t show the strength that Red Bull are always showing year after year.
"It’s as if they’re afraid to be aggressive in trying to win the drivers’ championship and they’re afraid to go against Piastri. It’s really, really odd."
"Piastri messed up that first corner. He got caught out sleeping. He should never have come out of the corner second and then he didn’t have the pace, which was odd.
"Norris had more pace. On the restart, McLaren knew that it was a matter of laps before Norris would have taken Piastri with the tyre difference, it was obvious.
"[I'm] 100% sure he [Norris] would get ahead, so why make him lose three laps instead of giving him a shot at Verstappen, because Verstappen is in for the championship.
"You don’t want to give Verstappen wins. That’s more points for him in the drivers’ championship."
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McLaren 'seem happy with second and third'
When it was suggested to the Canadian that McLaren appeared to be putting off the inevitable and making Norris, who tried to raise the possibility of team orders over radio, he agreed.
In the 11-time grand prix winner's view, the papaya squad is too comfortable with below par results.
"Yeah, they seem to be happy with second and third. McLaren has a car where a good weekend means first and second," he replied.
"Anything less is a bit disappointing. First and third is fairly acceptable, but they seem happy with second and third."
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