Lando Norris says McLaren’s decision to prioritise him in the F1 title race does not mean team-mate Oscar Piastri will give up his bid to win races in the final eight races of the season.
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella revealed ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix that the team is backing Norris in the title fight, with the British driver currently 62 points behind Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship after taking points from his rivals in the last two races at Zandvoort and Monza.
Norris had finished third in the Italian Grand Prix two weeks earlier, but his chances of victory were jeopardized when he was overtaken by Piastri at the second chicane on the opening lap, dropping Norris to third behind eventual winner Charles Leclerc.
“The most important thing was we came out of Turn 4 first and third and had the biggest gap in the world going into the corner,” said Norris, admitting he was surprised by Piastri’s move at Monza.
“So it wasn’t an ideal situation for me and for the team as well. We shouldn’t have raced there. I think we had clearer instructions on how to race each other.”
Asked if he was running second behind Piastri in first place, Norris said he “probably” could not expect his teammate to deliver the victory, and when asked if Piastri would deliver the victory he gave a firm “no”.
“In general, [the new rules are] “Maybe in a lower position, but if he’s fighting for the win and he deserves to win, he deserves to win,” he added.
Red Bull’s recent struggles mean Norris’ chances of winning the title are not unrealistic, and an on-form McLaren are widely seen as favourites to win the constructors’ championship, just eight points behind Red Bull.
Stella says the team does not want to compromise McLaren’s philosophy, even if new rules are introduced.
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Zak Brown was asked about McLaren’s rules after the race start dilemma between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“I don’t want to see a situation like Monza again where you go into a chicane P1/P2 and exit P1/P3 because that’s not good for the teams,” Stella said. BBC Sports.
“The interests of the team come first and these are situations that we need to rectify above all else, because the truth is that the way we entered the race at Monza ended up leading to this situation.”
“After Monza, we have three objectives: whatever happens on the track must not be to the detriment of the team.”
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Lando Norris shares his thoughts on the Italian Grand Prix and whether he was surprised by Oscar Piastri’s attack on the opening lap
“The second goal is to win both championships. Both drivers are committed to working together. But we don’t want to win them in a reckless way.”
“These are the three topics that will determine how the race in Baku will proceed. We will provide an update on this after Baku.”
Piastri: Further consultations needed on one-two scenario
McLaren’s first problem with team orders came at the Hungarian Grand Prix earlier this year, when Norris was forced to give up victory after undercutting Piastri during his final pit stop.
After repeated instructions to play team game, he dropped the pace with three laps remaining, giving Piastri his first F1 win but the move was met with mixed reviews.
Piastri is fourth in the drivers’ standings, 106 points behind Verstappen, making him unlikely to win the title.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, Nico Rosberg and Natalie Pinkham discussed the unfamiliar situation where McLaren has to prioritise one driver over another.
The Australian driver said “a bit more needs to be said” about him leading Norris in a McLaren one-two finish, but the team “would like to avoid that scenario if possible”.
“After speaking with Rand and Andrea, I knew nobody wanted to see the race hinged on that, including Rand himself,” he said. Sky Sports F1.
“There is still a big gap [in the championship]Ultimately it’s up to the team to decide if that’s something we want to do and if asked, I’ll do it.
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Nico Rosberg and Natalie Pinkham discuss the importance of sports psychology in F1 and how a positive outlook can affect race outcomes.
“But it’s not set in stone that we’re going to give up on the race, whatever the circumstances. There’s still some flexibility and movement, because ultimately all the team agrees that if someone has clearly done a good job over the weekend, it should be rewarded.”
“If I were Lando, obviously I wouldn’t do that from a championship standpoint. If I were, I wouldn’t expect anything in return, even if my teammate had beaten me by 10 seconds.”
“I think we’re all very much in agreement on that and ultimately it’s going to be a team decision.”
Norris: McLaren’s new rules give me and the team a better chance of winning the title
Norris has two wins this year but that figure could be higher if it hadn’t been for team and driver errors in some grands prix before the summer break, and Monza was certainly a possibility.
Both championships will depend heavily on whether Verstappen and Red Bull can improve, but Norris will be eager for McLaren to take advantage of the improved car’s performance under new team rules.
“Certainly it’s going to give me a better opportunity, that’s why I do this job, but also there’s a lot that benefits the team, so it’s not just my benefit,” Norris said. Sky Sports F1.
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Sky Sports F1’s Craig Slater used pantomime to explain his concerns over the legality of McLaren’s front wing, after rivals Red Bull and Ferrari raised their concerns with the FIA.
“It’s just about clarity. When I’m behind the wheel and competing with other drivers, I want to be clear about how far I can take things, how safe I can be, what my limits are.”
“It’s good for me, it gives me more opportunities and it’s good for the team too. From a team point of view, there’s still a long way to go and a lot of points for the constructors to gain every weekend.”
“If you look at how fast Ferrari were last time, you can see that Mercedes have two cars and Ferrari have two cars. It’s more of a structure, a structure of thought.”
Sky Sports F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Live Schedule
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Take a look back at the most dramatic moments at Baku City Circuit
Friday, September 13
7.55am: F2 Practice
10am: Azerbaijan GP Practice 1 (session starts at 10:30am)
11.55am: F2 Qualifying
1.45pm: Azerbaijan GP Practice 2 (session starts at 2pm)
3:15pm: F1 Show
Saturday, September 14
9.15am: Azerbaijan GP Practice 3 (session starts at 9.30am)
11:10am: F2 Sprint
12:15pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying Preparations
1pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying*
3pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notes
Sunday, September 15
8:30am: F2 Feature Race
10.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP Preparations*
12pm: Azerbaijan Grand Prix*
2pm: Checkered flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction
3pm: Ted’s Notes
* Live coverage on Sky Sports Main Event
This weekend, F1 leaves mainland Europe for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime
