F1: Should McLaren prioritize Norris over Piastri in the face of Verstappen’s threat?

Should McLaren Prioritize One Driver Over Another? The Dilemma in the Championship Fight

The recent disqualification of McLaren in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, along with the growing threat from Max Verstappen, has reignited a crucial debate for the team: Is it time to favor one of their drivers in the race for the title? Verstappen’s victory in Las Vegas, although it initially seemed to consolidate his position, was marred by McLaren’s technical sanction, which brings him dangerously close to the fight for the championship. This evokes memories of 2007, where an internal battle between McLaren’s drivers cost the team the title. Lando Norris arrives at the Qatar Grand Prix, a sprint race weekend with 33 points available, with a 24-point lead over Verstappen and his teammate, Oscar Piastri. Norris could secure the title if he finished third in the remaining three races: the Qatar sprint race, the Qatar main race, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He would need to outperform Verstappen and Piastri by two points during the weekend. However, the presence of Verstappen, a four-time champion, makes this task not straightforward. The events in Nevada have raised the question: Is it time to prioritize Norris over Piastri to ensure that a McLaren driver wins the 2025 championship? Critics might argue that this measure should have been taken from the beginning.

A Just Fight

The three-way fight is largely due to Verstappen’s performance. McLaren has maintained its philosophy of allowing its drivers to compete freely, which has resulted in 13 victories for the team, split between Norris and Piastri. The reality is more complex than simply implementing team orders.

“We are playing offense, not defense,” said McLaren CEO Zak Brown. “I’d rather we did the best we could and our drivers tied on points and the other one beat us by one, rather than telling one of our drivers now, when they are one point apart from each other, ‘I know you dream of winning the world championship, but we flipped a coin and you can’t do it this year.”

Zak Brown

Brown recalls McLaren’s 2007 season, where the rivalry between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton allowed Kimi Räikkönen to win the title. Brown insists that he doesn’t mind if 2025 follows a similar path. No driver will be prioritized, and the philosophy of competition will be maintained. The 2007 example is relevant, as the lack of team orders generated discord among the drivers. Alonso criticized the team for not supporting him over Hamilton, which led to the breakdown of his relationship with Ron Dennis. However, the current situation is different, with two drivers seeking their first championship. Brown’s philosophy is shared by the team principal, Andrea Stella, who has seen firsthand how team orders can create a toxic environment, as in the case of Ferrari with Rubens Barrichello and Felipe Massa. Stella is determined not to repeat those mistakes.

Could McLaren Avoid this Scenario?

Implementing team orders always seems easy in theory, but in practice it can be complicated. McLaren did not foresee Red Bull’s improvement at the Italian Grand Prix nor the technical infringement in Las Vegas. If McLaren had favored Piastri after Norris’s problem at the Dutch Grand Prix, they might regret it now, given the decrease in the Australian’s performance. The experience of Mark Webber, former driver and Piastri’s manager, illustrates the importance of not relying on team orders. In the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Webber was frustrated because Red Bull did not implement team orders to allow him to win, which would have reduced Vettel’s chances. Red Bull made the right decision, as Alonso lost his opportunities, and Vettel won the championship. By not putting all their eggs in one basket, Red Bull gave themselves a double chance to win the title.

Will McLaren Implement Team Orders?

It is unlikely that McLaren will order Piastri to support Norris. The team must consider various scenarios, such as collisions between the drivers or failures in Norris’s car. The team could be forced to sacrifice performance with a conservative setup to avoid technical problems. The risk of Verstappen closing in at Abu Dhabi is high. Brown is committed to his philosophy, but the possibility of not winning the title could make him reconsider. McLaren hasn’t won the drivers’ championship since 2008. If Verstappen wins the 2025 drivers’ title, McLaren could be the only one to blame.