F1 News: Lando Norris Reveals He Defied Team Orders To Hand Oscar Piastri Qatar Sprint Win

Lando Norris defied team orders during the Qatar Sprint race, allowing Oscar Piastri to win and securing a one-two finish for McLaren in the 2024 Formula 1 Championship.

Nov 20, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) during media availabilities at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Lando Norris defied expectations during the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint race by ignoring team orders to enable Oscar Piastri to take the victory. The McLaren team revelled in their one-two finish as a major achievement in their quest for the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship constructors' title, a feat not accomplished since 1998.

Norris led the race from the start and managed his pace to keep his teammate within DRS range in order to help with his fight with Mercedes driver George Russell. Despite being in a position to claim victory for himself, Norris revealed after the race that he had been planning to give the win to Piastri since Sao Paulo when the latter had done the same for him. He explained in his post-race interview:

"We scored one-two and that's what we were aiming for today. We've got maximum points, so we're happy.

"We're happy as a team, we've executed things perfectly. The pace was good, I probably could have pushed a little bit more than what I was doing, but we wanted to keep the others behind so we tried to help out and not let George get too close. We did our job and that's the main thing."

Addressing the risks involved with letting Piastri past at the last moment, Norris added:

"It was probably a bit closer than what I was wanting, but I planned to do it since Brazil. 

"It's just what I thought was best. It's probably a little bit sketchy. The team told me not to do it but I thought I could get away with it, and we did. 

"Honestly, I don't mind. I'm not here to win Sprint races, I'm here to win [Grand Prix] races - and a championship, but that's not gone to plan. But I did the best we could and I look forward to tomorrow."

With the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship tightly contested, McLaren's performance in Qatar has significant implications for the championship standings. A one-two finish here not only boosts McLaren's points tally but also signals a determined pursuit of the constructors' title.

2024 Qatar Sprint Race Results

1. Oscar Piastri, McLaren
2. Lando Norris, McLaren
3. George Russell, Mercedes
4. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
5. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
6. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
7. Nico Hulkenberg, Haas
8. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
9. Pierre Gasly, Alpine
10. Kevin Magnussen, Haas
11. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
12. Valtteri Bottas, Sauber
13. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
14. Esteban Ocon, Alpine
15. Alex Albon, Williams
16. Liam Lawson, VCARB
17. Yuki Tsunoda, VCARB
18. Franco Colapinto, Williams
19. Zhou Guanyu, Sauber
20. Sergio Perez, Red Bull