We are approaching the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, where the 2025 World Champion will be decided.
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| Photo: Sam Bagnall |
Three drivers head to Abu Dhabi with a chance to win the championship. For two of them, it could be their very first title — and they could also put an end to Max Verstappen’s four-year “dominance.” Lando Norris leads the standings by twelve points ahead of Verstappen, with Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri third, sixteen points behind.
This raises the question of whether McLaren might resort to team orders to increase Lando Norris’s chances of securing the title. There is indeed a scenario in which Norris would win the championship only if Piastri let him through.
The scenario goes like this: Max Verstappen is leading the race, Oscar Piastri is running third, and Lando Norris is fourth behind him. In this case, Verstappen would take the title, with neither Piastri nor Norris becoming champion. But if Piastri were to give up the position to Norris, the title would go to Norris.
Norris was asked about this scenario in today’s press conference: "No, we haven't talked about that, although I would honestly like to. But I don't think I'll ask for it... It's more up to Oscar, it's not necessarily up to me.
"I think I would accept team orders because I feel like I've always been like that and that's just my nature... But it's not up to me now and I won't ask for anything.
"I don't want to ask that because I don't think it's a fair question. At the same time, if it doesn't work out and Max wins, then I'll congratulate him and look forward to next year. It wouldn't change my life," said British driver.
Max Verstappen was also questioned at the press conference. For him, it would be his fifth title in a row, and as he said, he simply has nothing to lose: “I’m very relaxed, I have nothing to lose, I’m just enjoying being here.
“For me, it’s not even about being here. I’ve enjoyed the second half of the season, working with the team and how we’ve managed to turn things around from a difficult time.
“From the post-race briefings where we were very disappointed and frustrated with the performance, to now enjoying it, smiling and winning again – it’s fantastic.”