McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has offered a major clue about how they will approach the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both in contention to win the world title and Max Verstappen ready to spoil the party. Championship leader Norris holds a 12-point advantage over Red Bull’s four-time reigning champion Verstappen, with Piastri a further four points back going into the final race of the year.
It’s the first three-way title decider in Formula One since 2010, when Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel took out the season-ending race to score a surprise world championship triumph. A podium finish will guarantee Norris his maiden world title, but the McLaren driver knows any slip-up could cost him from being crowned world champion.
McLaren could issue team orders to Oscar Piastri so his teammate Lando Norris wins the F1 title ahead of Max Verstappen at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP. Pic: Getty
Verstappen looms as arguably the biggest threat to the Briton’s hopes after winning five of the last eight races, including last weekend’s dramatic Qatar GP. A costly pit-stop strategy from McLaren denied Piastri a victory in Qatar that’s had major ramifications on the F1 title, with a fourth-placed finish for Norris opening the door for Verstappen to pounce.
Pistri still has an outside chance of winning Australia’s first world title in 45 years but needs to claim victory in Abu Dhabi and hope that Norris finishes sixth or lower. And it’s led to suggestions that Piastri will be issued team orders by McLaren to ensure Norris wins the title ahead of Verstappen.
McLaren boss talks team strategy for F1 season finale
But Stella insists McLaren will give both of their drivers the opportunity to race for the world championship in the season-ending race. “When it comes to the fact that we have two drivers in the quest for the world championship, our philosophy and our approach will not change,” the McLaren team principal told F1 media.
“We will leave both Oscar and Lando the possibility to compete and pursue their aspirations. Oscar, from a points point of view, is definitely in condition to win the title.” But Stella has hinted that things could change depending on how things pan out with Verstappen in the final race of the season.
“I think whatever call we make in terms of using the collaboration of our drivers, we will have to follow some of our fundamental principles, which are foundational to our approach,” he added. “We want to be fair to our drivers, we want to race with integrity, and we want to race in a way that doesn’t surprise our drivers.
McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will be doing everything in their power to ensure Max Verstappen doesn’t claim the F1 title at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP. Pic: Getty
One potential scenario that could see Piastri issued team orders by McLaren is if Verstappen leads the race late on and the Aussie sits third, with Norris behind him in fourth. A switch of places between the McLaren teammates would guarantee Norris beats Verstappen to the title.
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“We will allow the drivers to compete, but the most important thing for us is to beat Verstappen,” Stella added. “Whatever we decide about our drivers’ cooperation must be based on our core principles…
“There will be no decision that would eliminate the other driver if he is capable of fighting for the title. We will see what scenario unfolds, but one thing is for sure, there will be discussions and the team and drivers will go into the race as one, as always.”
with agencies