Heading into the title decider in Abu Dhabi with two drivers in the running, McLaren will not impose team orders on Oscar Piastri, or Lando Norris, if they still have a shot at winning the World title.

But, stressed team principal Andrea Stella in the caveat, “above all”, McLaren wants to ensure that one of its drivers beats Max Verstappen to the title.

McLaren: But above all, what’s important for us is…

Norris will line up on the Yas Marina grid on Sunday with a 12-point lead over Verstappen in the Drivers’ standings, with Piastri a further four points off the pace.

McLaren lost the 1-2 in the standings for the first time this season when the team fumbled its strategy in Qatar when it didn’t pit the drivers under a Safety Car on Lap 7. That handed Verstappen a free pit stop and cost Piastri the race win.

It also cost him second place in the standings as the Australian, who held a 104-point lead over Verstappen after the Dutch Grand Prix, dropped behind the Red Bull driver on the log.

Lando Norris v Oscar Piastri: McLaren 2025 head-to-head scores

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Piastri, though, is by no means out of the fight.

Although he is on the back foot, he could come from behind to win the title in Abu Dhabi, although it is by no means in his hands.

McLaren insists that as long as he still has the chance, the team won’t impose team orders that favour Norris.

“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. We will leave both Oscar and Lando the possibility to compete and pursue their aspiration,” Stella told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media in Qatar.

“Oscar, from a point of view, is definitely in condition to win the title.

“We have seen before in the history of Formula 1 that when you have this kind of situation sometimes it’s the third one that actually wins. We have seen it I think in 2007, in 2010 and Oscar is fast, I think he deserves to be able to just realise his performance.

“We will let the drivers be in condition to race each other, but above all, what’s important for us is that we are in condition to beat Verstappen with one of our two drivers.”

Stella says the team will, however, have the conversation with both drivers that, should it come down to it, they know McLaren’s stance and are not caught out in surprise if the order to help the other driver is delivered.

“I think whatever call we make in terms of using the collaboration of our drivers will have to follow some of our fundamental principles, which are foundational to our approach,” said Stella.

“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.

“So, before Abu Dhabi, there will be further conversation with Lando and Oscar. We will confirm our racing approach, but certainly what I can say is that if any of the drivers is in condition to pursue the quest to win the title, then we will respect this.

“There will be no call which excludes the other driver when the other driver is in condition to win.

“So, we will see what scenario will unfold, but definitely what I can say is that there will be conversations, and there will be a way of going racing which is united between the team and the drivers, like we have always done.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher and Mat Coch

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