Piastri inclined to support Norris for the championship
Reduced to 62 points behind Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship, Lando Norris will be given priority over Oscar Piastri in the race, as requested by the McLaren team to the Australian. However, this will be done with respect to the team's sportsmanship.
Max Verstappen still holds the lead to keep his title. But the Dutchman sees Lando Norris coming back on him, who could represent a threat in this end of season. 2nd at 62 points behind the Red Bull driver, the British will benefit from team orders from this weekend in Baku, while his lost duel against Oscar Piastri cost him important points during the Monza Grand Prix.
McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, confirmed the implementation of a strategy to maximize Norris’ chances in the championship. “We will bias our support towards Lando, but we want to do it without compromising too much on our principles,” he told the BBC. The priority for the team leader remains the team and the constructor’s championship, which seems within reach as their gap to Red Bull is now only eight points. “We must ensure that, while focusing the conversation and attention on the driver’s championship, we do not lose sight of the fact that the constructor’s championship is at least a three-way battle.”
Especially, McLaren does not want to experience the same scenario as in Monza’s first lap, when Charles Leclerc managed to get between its two drivers fighting for the lead. What we do not want to see anymore is a situation like in Monza where we enter a P1/P2 chicane and exit P1/P3. It is detrimental to the team, insisted Andrea Stella.
Collaborative discussions
The Italian engineer doesn’t hide it. McLaren will play on both fronts: the goal is to win both championships, with both drivers committed to helping each other. It is specified that team orders will be reviewed after each race, according to how events unfold. For now, priority is given to Lando Norris, who leads Oscar Piastri by 44 points in the championship.
The Australian driver was understanding during the discussions with his team. When I asked Oscar, “Would you be willing to give up a victory?” He replied, “It’s painful, but if it’s the right thing to do now, I will do it.” Stella said she was impressed by the level of teamwork, maturity, and collaboration of each of her pilots.
Lando Norris’ position is a perfect illustration of this, as the number 4 does not make winning the ultimate goal for this season. If I ask Lando, he will say: “I would be comfortable if in Abu Dhabi [at the end of the season] I miss a few points that I could have obtained with certain actions, but if those actions were not the right ones at that time, then, you know what? We stay strong as a team, the team is stable and cohesive, and we will try our luck next year.”
