Oscar Piastri Vows to Help Teammate Lando Norris in Bid for F1 Drivers' Championship

The Australian driver has enjoyed a stellar second season.

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (81) during the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Like his British teammate Lando Norris, Australian Formula One driver Oscar Piastri has enjoyed a season to remember.

In just his second year in the series, Piastri has racked up five podiums to go with a victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 21. Together, the McLaren squad has vaulted itself into second place in the constructors' championship; it'd be the team's highest finish in the competition since 2011.

However, Piastri told reporters Thursday morning that he intended to prioritize helping Norris win the drivers' championship for the rest of the season.

"The team have asked me to help out and I’ve said for the last few races that if I was asked, then I would,” Piastri said ahead of Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. "Of course, naturally as a driver it’s never an easy thing, or simple thing, to agree to. There’s a much bigger picture in play than just myself."

Norris is second in the drivers' championship standings to perennial winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, while Piastri is fourth. At the Italian Grand Prix on Sept. 1, Piastri passed Norris on the opening lap and wound up finishing a spot ahead of the Brit.

“I’m still coming out here to try and achieve the best results I can and put myself in a good position to just score a lot of points for myself and also the team. I know that if there are some ways of helping the points for Lando, then I’ll do that," Piastri said.