McLaren boss Zak Brown confirms when Oscar Piastri will be asked to hand Lando Norris title in Abu Dhabi
Oscar Piastri will be told to giftwrap the F1 title for his McLaren teammate Lando Norris should it be required to ensure Max Verstappen does not storm to the top of the standings.
In an unsurprising development that will infuriate Oscar Piastri’s Australian fans who think he’s been stitched up, McLaren boss Zak Brown has confirmed team orders will come into play in this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix if it helps one of their drivers win the world championship ahead of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen.
Although both Piastri and his English team mate Lando Norris have their own chances of winning the title, any team orders that are enacted will almost certainly favour Norris because he leads the Australian by 16 points in the title standings.
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Both McLaren drivers were coy about what might happen when quizzed about the possibility of having to sacrifice themselves when they arrived at the Yas Marina circuit on Thursday, but Brown told Sky Sports during Friday’s first free practice that it was a no brainer if Verstappen was in position to take the title away.
“Yes, of course. We’re realistic. We want to win this Drivers’ Championship,” Brown said.
“We’re coming into the weekend knowing that they both have equal opportunity, even though there’s obviously a point spread.
“You don’t know how qualifying is going to go, reliability, but if we get into the race and it’s becoming pretty clear that one has a chance and the other doesn’t, we’re going to do what we can to win the Drivers’ Championship. It would be crazy not to.”
Any team tactics wouldn’t come into play until late in the race, to ensure both drivers get a fair chance from the start.
Norris in the box seat. With a maximum 25 points available, he has a 12-point lead over Verstappen and a 16 point advantage over Piastri but he’s nervous and so are McLaren, raising speculation the team could make Piastri the scapegoat to ensure Norris gets over the line.
That would only happen if circumstances permitted, such as if Verstappen won the race and Piastri was running second with Norris fourth.
Under that scenario, neither Piastri or Norris would win the title but if Piastri slowed down and allowed Norris to finish third, the Englishman would be crowned champion.
“We’ll kind of see how the race plays out, but we’re not going to not win the championship because we’re trying to protect a third and a fourth or a sixth and a seventh, or however the situation may play out,” Brown said.
Piastri had earlier said he didn’t know whether he will be told to help his English team mate win the world championship if he can’t claim the title himself.
There would be a near mutiny in Australia if McLaren ordered Piastri to sacrifice his own chances to aid Norris, but it’s now looming large.
The reason for the change of heart is because of the threat coming from Verstappen, who has fought his way back into the championship race despite being behind the wheel of an inferior Red Bull.
One of the best seasons in memory is set for a thrilling climax. For just the third time in the last quarter of a century, three drivers have the chance to win the title in the last race.
British journalists wasted little time asking Piastri at Thursday’s pre-race press conference whether he would assist Norris, and were disappointed by his response but got what they wanted from Brown the next day.
“It’s not something we’ve discussed,” Piastri said. “Until I know what’s kind of expected. I don’t really have an answer.”
Zak Brown on team orders:
— naenia (@naenia01) December 5, 2025
“Will you have that discussion if - I suppose Oscar’s lying 3rd and Lando’s 4th and Oscar’s opportunity really isn't there to get the result he needs to win the championship. Would you expect him to yield the land? Would you have to make that call?â€â€¦ pic.twitter.com/0WleDvSpc9
Norris was more forthcoming when he was quizzed about the matter. While he also said the matter had not been discussed, and he would never ask Piastri to help, he proceeded to drop a blunt hint at what he wanted to happen.
“It’s up to Oscar if he would allow it, I don’t think it’s necessarily down to me,” Norris said.
“It’s the same for the other way around. Would I be willing to or not? Personally I would just because I feel like I’m always like that and that’s just how I am.”
Subtlety has never been a strong point for F1 drivers so no-one should be surprised by what Norris said. But the suggestion would help Piastri if the situations were reversed and might rile the Australian’s supporters after Piastri was told to hand back second place to Norris at the Italian Grand Prix because of a botched pit stop.
“It’s not really up to me. I’m not gonna ask it. I don’t want to ask it because I don’t think it’s necessarily a fair question,” Norris continued..
“At the same time, if that’s how it ends and Max wins, then well, that’s that’s it. Congrats to him.”
Piastri has been on the wrong end of a number of 50-50 calls that have benefitted Norris in 2025, but said it was pointless worrying about what’s happened.
“There’s a few moments to choose from. Unfortunately, but I think this is the same for everyone, there’s always moments, no season is ever going to be perfect,” Piastri said.
“Everyone’s lost a certain amount of points at some point along the way. Definitely on my side of things there’s been a few races or a few moments I’d like to have again.”
Trailing his team mate by 16 points, Piastri still has a chance to win the title but needs to win the race himself then hope Norris finishes outside the top five.
Piastri did receive unexpected support from another English rival, Mercedes driver George Russell, who said both McLaren drivers should be given the same chances to win the championship, even if it meant losing out to Verstappen.
“I don’t think it’s acceptable or reasonable to ask the driver who’s also in a shot of a championship in the very last race to move over for your teammate,” Russell said.
“I think they’re both here to be given a shot. And if they lose out because of it, they should say the other guy did a better job. That’s racing, that’s how it should be.”
Piastri has some good omens on his side. The only previous occasions when three drivers were contending for the title at the season-finale, in 2007 and 2010, the drivers in third place at the start of the race came from behind to win the race and the title each time.
“Obviously it would be a very cool achievement, but I’m not getting my hopes up too high. We’ll see what happens. If I can achieve it, then um I’ll be a happy happy guy,” Piastri said.
Originally published as McLaren boss Zak Brown confirms when Oscar Piastri will be asked to hand Lando Norris title in Abu Dhabi
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