Heat races, tire limits and the possible drivers' crown. Qatar will be the first big title showdown. Lando Norris can do it, but his team-mate won't help - he wants the title himself.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- McLaren is facing a possible internal title duel: Lando Norris leads by 24 points ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, who, however, does not want to take on a helper role.
- Verstappen remains in the lead and, like Piastri, only has a chance of winning the title if Norris makes a mistake.
- McLaren is deliberately not using a stable order, but is allowing both drivers free rein in the title fight - even if there is a risk of internal drama like in 2007.
After the momentous millimeter penalty drama in Las Vegas, McLaren must not gamble again in the explosive double battle for the world title against Max Verstappen. Lando Norris still has everything in his hands, with a 24-point lead over his team-mate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's lone rival Verstappen. "The important question now is: What do you do internally?" emphasizes Sky expert Ralf Schumacher ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix.
In other words: Two together (Norris as a title contender and Piastri his helper) against one (Verstappen)? Or does Norris also have to fear an attack from his own team-mate? McLaren know only too well how a team duel for the championship title can end. In 2007, a certain Kimi Räikkönen snatched the crown away from McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in the last drivers' title for Ferrari.
Piastri as a helper? "The answer is no"
It was 18 years ago, when Norris was six years old and Piastri four, that Hamilton, in his first Formula 1 season, put so much pressure on the newly crowned two-time world champion Alonso that the stable duel escalated completely. The final score back then: Räikkönen 110 points (only 10 points were awarded for a win), Hamilton 109, Alonso 109. This drama could theoretically be repeated at the end of 2025.
Because Piastri made one thing clear: he does not want to give up and play helper to Norris. "We had a very brief discussion and the answer is no," he replied to a question in the paddock in Lusail. He did not give any details about the conversation or its participants. Instead, Piastri emphasized that he himself still has a decent chance of winning the World Championship if everything goes well: "I know it's not impossible."
If Norris wins the Grand Prix in Qatar, the Briton will have a 25-point lead over Piastri and Verstappen ahead of the finale in Abu Dhabi to be crowned world champion. If he does not win, he will need 26 points more on Sunday evening. Mathematically, however, it could also happen that all three go on to Abu Dhabi with the same number of points.
A round of golf and paddle tennis to switch off
"I know what Max is capable of and I think Oscar is too," Norris emphasized a few minutes after Piastri's media session in the McLaren motorhome. Every driver wants to show that they are the best. "And I'm looking forward to giving them a good fight on the track," said Norris, who appeared extremely relaxed and in a good mood.
He has already been in Qatar since Monday, indulging in a few rounds of golf and playing padel tennis to recover from the zero-point setback in Vegas. Norris sees no reason to change anything ahead of his 151st Grand Prix, which could bring him his first world title. "Nothing needs to be changed," he insisted. He himself does not feel any different than he did before the Grand Prix in Mexico, when he took over first place in the championship standings.
Piastri's decline began with the rise of Norris after the low point at Zandvoort. The fact that he had to let Norris overtake in the race afterwards because the crew messed up a pit stop for the Briton and he was behind Piastri after the tire change caused displeasure among some fans. Norris felt this in Mexico City and also in São Paulo. With whistles and boos after his victories. In order not to let himself be dragged down, he now doesn't even look at social networks.
Vettel's sentence about Verstappen makes people sit up and take notice
However, there is really no need for a stable order at Red Bull: his team-mates, currently Yuki Tsunoda, are practically just driving along. Verstappen has scored 366 of the 391 Red Bull points this year. "And the scary thing is that he is still getting better," said four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel in a Formula 1 podcast about four-time world champion Verstappen.
It is clear that the Dutchman has at least the same chance of winning the title as Piastri. However, both have to hope that the world championship leader will slip up. 33 points are up for grabs in Qatar alone, eight for the winner of the sprint on Saturday and 25 in the race on Sunday. The fact that Pirelli and the FIA have imposed a tire limit for safety reasons - only 25 laps per set - will significantly increase the strategic options for all three title contenders.
Do you really prefer a 2007 revival to one driver?
McLaren is aware of the constant danger posed by Verstappen. However, they are not changing the so-called papaya rules - both are free to race for the title - based on the orange livery of the car.
"If the same thing happens as in 2007, then I would rather have this outcome than all the other possibilities, because we would favor one of the two drivers," McLaren Managing Director Zak Brown said not so long ago. And Team Principal Andrea Stella explained in McLaren's official preview of the Qatar weekend: "With two races to go, both deserve the chance to fight for the title."
