Lando Norris stated that he does not anticipate teammate Oscar Piastri to hand him race victories, despite McLaren's decision to prioritize the Briton in the Formula One title battle against Max Verstappen. Team principal Andrea Stella informed the BBC prior to Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix that McLaren aims to support Norris "without compromising our principles too much." Norris told reporters in Baku that the strategy is more likely to be applied for lower positions rather than if they were leading the race.
"He's still competing for his own success. He's still out there doing his job. And it might be that there's no occasion this year when he needs to assist me," Norris explained. "It's more about having Oscar's support when necessary." He added, "If he's earned a win and deserves it, then he should take it." Norris emphasized that if Piastri outperforms him and wins a race, it's because he's done a superior job.
Currently, Norris is in second place, trailing Red Bull's Verstappen by 62 points with eight rounds and three sprint races remaining. Piastri is in fourth place, 106 points behind the leader. There are a maximum of 232 points still up for grabs in the drivers' championship. McLaren is vying for both titles and could take the lead in the constructors' standings in Baku, as they are just eight points behind the once-dominant Red Bull team.
Norris admitted that it would be painful to lose by a narrow margin but emphasized that he does not want to be handed a title. "That's not how I want to win a championship. I want to earn it by competing against Max, by defeating Max, my rivals, and proving that I'm the best on the track," he said. "That's how I want to win." Piastri, on the other hand, acknowledged that team orders are "not enjoyable" but understands the broader context.
"Of course, selfishly, I'd prefer not to have them, but I'm aware that it's not just about me, and I'm willing to play a supporting role at this stage of the season," the Australian added. "I think any earlier in the season, it would have been excessive, but now it seems appropriate to help the team win both championships." He also noted that "it's not going to be just me pulling over for Lando every race because that's not how any of us, including Lando, want to race."
Stella emphasized that the team's principles prioritize the team's interest above all. "Sportsmanship is important to us in how we approach racing. We aim to be fair to both drivers," the Italian told the BBC. He mentioned avoiding a repeat of the Monza incident where Norris started from pole with Piastri in second but ultimately lost to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. In that race, Piastri overtook Norris at the second chicane, allowing Leclerc to take second place from Norris, who had to slow down, before winning on strategy. Verstappen finished in sixth place.
