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.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
