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McLaren have decided to prioritize Lando Norris over teammate Oscar Piastri in their push for both Formula 1 world championships this year, while maintaining principles of sportsmanship and fairness. Team principal Andrea Stella confirmed that while Norris will receive more backing, it will be done in a way that respects team values and avoids compromising their ethics.
Norris is currently 62 points behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship, with a maximum of 232 points still available. Piastri, who sits fourth in the standings, is 106 points behind Verstappen.
“We [will] bias our support to Lando but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles,” Stella told BBC Sport, emphasizing that the team’s interests come first.
This decision comes after a review of events at the Italian Grand Prix, where both McLaren drivers qualified first and second. However, Piastri overtook Norris early in the race, allowing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to split the pair, ultimately costing McLaren a win.
“What we don’t want to see any more is a situation like in Monza,” Stella said. “The team interest comes first.”
Both Norris and Piastri have accepted the new approach, with Piastri showing maturity by agreeing to sacrifice potential victories if necessary. However, Stella clarified that Norris doesn’t want to rely on systematic team orders for victories, preferring to win on merit.
In the constructors’ championship, McLaren are just eight points behind Red Bull, with Ferrari in third place. Stella noted that the team’s prime focus is on winning the constructors’ title while maintaining their drivers’ cooperation on track.
