Zak Brown has disclosed that McLaren will support only one of their drivers in the championship battle if the other is no longer in contention mathematically. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are separated by just 14 points as they head into the final five races of the 2025 season.
Following Norris’ unlucky retirement due to a mechanical issue at the Dutch Grand Prix, Piastri gained a 34-point lead over his teammate. Despite this setback, Norris has fought back admirably, outscoring Piastri in the last four Grand Prix events.
However, both Piastri and Norris are facing stiff competition from current world champion Max Verstappen, who has made a remarkable comeback by outscoring both McLaren drivers. Verstappen, who was more than 100 points behind Piastri a few races ago, is now just 40 points adrift and in exceptional form.
The resurgence of Verstappen as a title contender raised speculations about McLaren possibly favoring one driver over the other with only five races to go. Nevertheless, CEO Brown has clarified that McLaren will maintain their current approach and not prioritize one driver unless it becomes mathematically impossible for the other to win the championship.
Despite concerns about Verstappen’s form, Brown acknowledged the Dutch driver’s threat in the title race and emphasized the importance of taking him seriously.
Piastri is determined to reverse his fortunes in the upcoming Mexico City race but expressed his desire for McLaren not to intervene and designate him as the primary driver for the rest of the season, thereby excluding Norris from the championship battle.
With McLaren opting not to issue team orders, both Piastri and Norris will need to compete fiercely for their first Drivers’ Championship titles. Lewis Hamilton provided valuable advice to the McLaren duo before the Mexico race, emphasizing the need to be assertive and competitive to withstand the challenge posed by Verstappen.
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