Piastri Rejects McLaren Team Orders to Favour Norris in 2025 Title Fight

Short Excerpt: With two rounds remaining in the 2025 F1 season, Oscar Piastri insists McLaren will not impose team orders to help Lando Norris, stating he remains free to fight for the title while level on points with Max Verstappen.

Piastri Says “No” to Helping Norris in Title Fight

Oscar Piastri has made it clear that he will not accept team orders from McLaren to help Lando Norris secure the 2025 Formula 1 world championship. With two rounds to go, Norris leads the standings by 24 points over both Piastri and Max Verstappen, who are tied on points after the dramatic double disqualification in Las Vegas.

“The team asked briefly, but I said no. As long as I’m level with Max and still in the fight, I race for myself. That’s only fair.”

How Las Vegas Changed the Championship Picture

The controversy stems from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where both McLaren drivers were disqualified for excessive plank wear after initially finishing first and second. The ruling wiped out a result that would have left Norris 30 points ahead of Piastri and 42 clear of Verstappen, instead keeping the intra-team gap at 24 points and drawing Verstappen level with Piastri.

“The DSQ was a net negative for me—it brought Max back into play. But it also kept Lando’s lead smaller, so I still have a shot.”

McLaren’s Official Stance on Team Orders

Team boss Andrea Stella and McLaren management have consistently stated that neither Norris nor Piastri will be favoured while both retain a realistic shot at the title. Stella has reiterated that McLaren’s policy is to let its drivers race freely and only consider prioritising one of them if the other is mathematically out of contention.

“Our rule is simple: race until you can’t win. If Oscar is still in it, we won’t ask him to move over.”
— Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal

This approach follows a season in which McLaren has already faced scrutiny over earlier team-order calls, such as swaps and “Papaya rules” in races like Monza, Singapore and Austin. Despite that criticism, the team maintains that any previous instructions aimed to keep the fight fair, not to elevate a permanent number one driver.

Piastri’s Perspective on Verstappen’s Threat

Piastri stressed that with Verstappen now equal on points, there is no justification for him to step aside for Norris. He believes he still has “a decent shot” at the title if results fall his way, and points to past championships where late swings have overturned seemingly secure leads.

“Max is just as dangerous as Lando now. I’m not here to be a roadblock—I’m here to win.”

What to Expect in Qatar and Abu Dhabi

Heading into the Qatar Grand Prix, a sprint weekend with 33 points on offer, Norris can clinch the title early if he outscores both Verstappen and Piastri by two points across the event. However, Piastri’s refusal to accept team orders means McLaren must manage a delicate balance between maximizing the team’s chances and respecting both drivers’ personal title ambitions.

If Piastri falls out of mathematical contention after Qatar, McLaren has left the door open to revisiting its stance and potentially backing Norris fully for Abu Dhabi. Until then, the team insists there will be no instructions to sacrifice positions, setting up a tense and politically charged conclusion to the 2025 season.