For Verstappen, Piastri does not deserve to give up victories to help Norris
In the battle with Lando Norris for the championship, Max Verstappen mentioned a possible sacrifice of Oscar Piastri in favor of his teammate. The Dutchman believes that the Australian is too talented to play the role of a number 2 driver.
With 52 points to catch up on Verstappen in the last six Grand Prix of the season, Lando Norris would be delighted to see Piastri coming between him and the Dutchman. Team orders could be issued at McLaren, asking Piastri to let his teammate pass depending on how the races unfold. Max Verstappen is categorical: « For me, he is absolutely not a [number two driver] and if I were him, I would never accept it.
Piastri’s talent is too significant.
Verstappen justifies himself by stating that Oscar Piastri is too talented to be content with a role as a model teammate. He is a great F1 driver who does not deserve to give up on victories and positions and play supporting roles just because he is asked to do so, he argues.
The Australian is still young (23 years old) and his rather calm temperament could lead him to respect his team’s request if there is one. “It’s easy for me to talk, of course, because I’ve been in Formula 1 for 10 years and it’s Oscar’s second season, so it’s always harder to put your foot down,” added the Milton Keynes driver.
Little team instructions at Papayes.
The absence of collective instructions at McLaren has sometimes cost the British team dearly. The on-track battle between its two drivers at Monza had benefited Charles Leclerc. This event had led the Woking-based team to review its plans thereafter.
If the main objective of the Papayes remains to win the race, no matter if it is the work of number 4 or 81. Above all, she does not want to relive the same misadventure as in Italy. However, Oscar Piastri recently conceded that he would able to help Lando Norris in his quest for the title if the opportunity arose.
Norris wants to win on merit
Lando Norris is not the kind of person to wait for his teammate to hand him the driver’s title on a silver platter: « I don’t want a championship given to me either. Yes, it would be great to have a championship, and in the short term, we would feel good, but I don’t think we would be proud of it in the long term.
The Briton, if he has to inscribe his name on the honor roll, wants it to be done on merit. “If a driver does better than me and is performing well, I have to do a better job, so I wouldn’t want to take that away from someone,” he insisted.
The fight for the title, which resumes this weekend in Austin, concerns the top two in the championship, and Norris is aware of it: “I want to win it by beating Max, by beating my competitors, and by proving that I am the best on the track.” The British driver has outpaced his main rival in the last four races and must hope to repeat this as often as possible until the final curtain falls in Abu Dhabi.
