LANDO NORRIS VS OSCAR PIASTRI: MCLAREN ALLOWS FREE RACE IN CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
Zak Brown confirms McLaren won't use team orders in Qatar, allowing Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to race for the title. Max Verstappen remains a serious threat.
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McLaren CEO Zak Brown has reiterated that the team won't use team orders in Qatar as long as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are both in contention for the world title. They're currently separated by 22 points.
This stance remains even though Max Verstappen is still a threat, trailing by 25 points. He needs to beat Norris on Sunday to stay in the championship race and could potentially overtake both McLaren drivers for the F1 2025 title.
McLaren's Reason for Avoiding Team Orders
Earlier this season, McLaren held the top two spots in the Drivers' Championship. After the summer break, Oscar Piastri opened a big lead of 104 points over Verstappen. Norris was also ahead, 70 points clear, despite a retirement.
The team was in a strong position, with the only question being which teammate would win the title.
Since the Dutch Grand Prix, McLaren's lead has tightened. Heading into Qatar, Norris leads, with Piastri in second due to having more wins than Verstappen, as they are tied on 366 points.
In Saturday's Sprint race, Piastri won by five seconds over George Russell, with Norris another second behind in third.
This result trimmed the gap between the McLaren teammates to 22 points. Verstappen finished fourth, behind Norris, and is now 25 points behind the lead and three behind Piastri.
This means all three drivers are still in contention for the championship as they head into Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix. A win for Norris would give McLaren its first Drivers' title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008. Anything less could open the door for Piastri or Verstappen.
McLaren isn't yet willing to tell Piastri to let Norris pass to shut Verstappen out of the race. Piastri, who starts on pole position at the Lusail International Circuit, is still very much in the fight himself.
Brown told Sky F1, We're taking it one race at a time. We have two drivers who could leave this race leading the World Championship.
So, how can we do anything but give both drivers an equal chance to lead the championship?
If we get to Abu Dhabi and one driver can't win, then of course we'll ask the other to help.
But while both guys can go to Abu Dhabi as possible championship leaders, it would be crazy to do anything other than let them race in Qatar.
While Brown states that McLaren won't use team orders, they have discussed the possibility with Piastri.
Before the Qatar weekend, Piastri told the media, We've had a very short discussion, and the answer is no.
I'm equal on points with Max and have a good chance of still winning if things go my way.
Brown said that these conversations are normal for McLaren and part of an open relationship with its drivers.
"We talk about everything, and I think that's why we have such a great working relationship with our drivers, Andrea, myself, and the whole team," he said.
We just talk about topics. We don't avoid them. We don't pretend they don't exist.
We talked about it, and we're open and honest.
It's clear we have two guys who can win this championship, so we're not going to change anything until the situation changes.
For now, both McLaren drivers and Verstappen are still in the hunt.
He's like the horror movie character who you think is down and then suddenly appears—you thought he was out! Brown said of Verstappen.
He's incredibly talented, as good as anyone we've seen. We have to ignore him, even though it's hard to do, as we can't control what he does.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
