F1 News: Lando Norris Defies Team Orders as Oscar Piastri Gifted Sprint Win - 'I Made Up My Mind'

Alex Harrington | 8 Hours Ago

Nov 21, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) arrives before practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have attracted plenty of attention following a dramatic display of team spirit at the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race today. Norris deliberately slowed on the final lap, permitting his teammate Oscar Piastri to overtake and win the race. This action was a reciprocal gesture stemming from a previous moment during the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Piastri was ordered to let Norris pass to maintain his championship prospects.

Reflecting on his decision, Norris told the media:

"I made my mind up in Brazil when it happened. It's a sprint -- I only care about the grand prix, as does everyone.

“After it happened in Brazil, I made my mind up that I needed to do something to give it back.”

Norris’s actions took place against the backdrop of a championship season where McLaren had prioritized Norris’s chances against the formidable Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. Before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Norris was a contender for the championship, with McLaren using team orders to bolster his campaign. However, Verstappen's subsequent clinching of the title in Las Vegas relieved McLaren of the need to prioritize Norris. This shift afforded Norris the chance to make a sporting gesture to his teammate in Qatar.

This was executed despite warnings from his team about the risks posed by George Russell’s Mercedes, which was closely trailing in third. Norris had preemptively informed his engineer of his intentions if the circumstances aligned, though he mentioned that it "wasn't something that was really discussed [before the race]."

In his reflection, Norris acknowledged Piastri’s earlier contributions, admitting the following.

"Oscar did his part in trying to help me get closer to Max in the championship and give that opportunity a go."

The camaraderie and reciprocity between the McLaren teammates shone through the race, resonating with both drivers' comments on the strength of their teamwork. Piastri said the following on their team dynamics:

"This year there's been a lot of noise about how we go racing as a team and whether it's right mostly whether it's wrong." He added, "You know it's always been very clear that the team comes first and in some scenarios, that means myself helping Lando. In some scenarios, that means Lando helping me."

The pair’s cooperation embodies McLaren’s ethos. Norris stressed:

"I don't think any other team would do such a thing and help each other as much as we've done this year for one another." Such coordinated efforts have propelled McLaren into a robust position in the constructors' championship standings, aided by their one-two finish in Qatar, which has considerably strengthened their campaign.

"I don't think any of us are proud of necessarily winning a sprint race or we're also not too unhappy on giving up a sprint race win. But we work together well as a team, and I think that's probably one of our biggest strengths over everyone is how well we work together."

Reflecting on their partnership and the broader implications for McLaren, Piastri discussed the team's vision: “We're trying to make it so that we can just fight for first and second and not have to worry about everyone else. Of course, everybody is, but I think it just speaks a lot of the teamwork culture.”