McLaren Shifts Focus to Boost Norris’ Title Chances Over Piastri
McLaren has decided to prioritize Lando Norris over his teammate Oscar Piastri in their bid to secure both Formula 1 world championships this season. Team principal Andrea Stella emphasized that this shift in strategy would be implemented while maintaining the team's principles of fairness and sportsmanship.
Stella told BBC Sport, "Our goal is to win, but we want to achieve it in a manner that upholds our values. We are determined to support Lando, but it will be done within the framework of fairness."
As the Azerbaijan Grand Prix approaches, Norris trails Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 62 points in the drivers' championship, with a total of 232 points still up for grabs. Piastri, currently in fourth place, is 86 points behind Verstappen.
Stella explained, "We will favor Lando but without compromising our principles. Our primary concern is team interest, and we want to ensure fairness to both drivers."
Previously, McLaren allowed Norris and Piastri to race each other without team interference. However, recent developments, including the Italian Grand Prix in Monza where Piastri's early overtaking led to a detrimental outcome for the team, prompted a reassessment of this approach.
"We need to prevent situations like Monza where we lose out despite starting in a strong position. After Monza, we focused on three objectives: ensuring team interests are safeguarded, striving to win both championships, and maintaining responsible racing strategies," Stella added.
Despite Verstappen's dominance earlier in the season, with seven victories to his name, he has not won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix in June. Red Bull is struggling to understand why their performance has dipped.
Both McLaren drivers have reportedly been receptive to the new strategy. Stella noted, "The discussions have been collaborative. Even when I asked Oscar if he would sacrifice a victory for the team's benefit, he agreed, showing impressive team spirit and maturity."
Stella refrained from detailing specific tactics but confirmed that decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis. He also stressed that Norris is supportive of fair competition and is comfortable with occasional support from his teammate if it aligns with team principles.
In addition to focusing on the drivers' championship, McLaren is also eyeing the constructors' title. They are just eight points behind Red Bull and could potentially take the lead this weekend. Ferrari trails McLaren by 31 points.
Stella concluded, "While we are focusing on the drivers' championship, we must not lose sight of the fact that the constructors' title is also a key objective."
This shift in McLaren's strategy is distinct from the informal "papaya rules," which refer to maintaining respectful and non-risky racing between the two McLaren drivers.