Max Verstappen has openly stated that if he were in Oscar Piastri’s position and was asked to support his teammate’s title bid, he would defiantly refuse McLaren’s request. Lando Norris has a chance to clinch the 2025 F1 drivers’ championship at the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix. Currently, Norris leads the championship standings by 24 points over Piastri and Verstappen, who are tied.
Norris had secured the title after the Las Vegas Grand Prix and was leading Piastri by 30 points and Verstappen by 42 points until both McLaren drivers were disqualified for excessive plank wear. With Verstappen still a strong contender with two races left, some suggest McLaren should prioritize Norris to avoid a repeat of 2007, when Ferrari drivers won the championship over McLaren’s contenders.
In 2007, Kimi Raikkonen won the championship by just one point, edging out Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. McLaren insists it wants to maintain fairness between its drivers, even if Verstappen ends up winning. Speaking in Qatar, Piastri revealed there was some discussion within McLaren about whether he would have to aid Norris, but he remains focused on his own title chances.
Verstappen praised McLaren’s decision to let Norris and Piastri race freely, despite his earlier tough stance. He said, “It’s perfect. Why suddenly say Oscar can’t race? If that happened to me, I’d just tell them to ‘fuck off.’ True racers aim to win, no matter their position. If you hold a driver back, they become just a number two, which I don’t believe Oscar wants.” Verstappen also acknowledged that he’s tied with Piastri on points and that both will need some luck to win, but he hopes they have a strong battle until the end.
He added about the double McLaren disqualification: “Even if you win everything, luck plays a part. We’ll keep doing our best with nothing to lose.”
Fan Take: This showdown highlights the pure racing spirit and competitive tension that keeps fans on the edge of their seats. Verstappen’s candid attitude and McLaren’s dilemma showcase the complexity of team dynamics in modern F1, making every race a thrilling contest for the championship.
