McLaren is throwing its full weight behind Lando Norris in the fight for the 2024 drivers’ championship, with team principal Zak Brown confirming that Oscar Piastri will assist in Norris’ bid for the title. However, Norris himself has made it clear he doesn’t want to win a championship that feels “given” to him.
Following a dramatic Italian Grand Prix where Piastri overtook Norris early on and finished second, there was a noticeable impact on the points gap between Norris and reigning champion Max Verstappen. While McLaren has now committed to supporting Norris, team boss Zak Brown admitted that any hopes of a title win rest on closing a significant points deficit.
“Max is an awesome driver,” Brown said during an appearance on the Dale Jr. Podcast. “With eight races plus three sprints left, Lando’s about 60 points behind, which is a tall order. We’ll do everything we can to help Lando, and we’re going to take it race by race.”
However, Brown emphasized that Piastri’s role isn’t purely subservient. McLaren will reassess if Norris suffers a setback in upcoming races, at which point they’ll let the drivers race freely again. Brown recalled Monza, where the team let the pair race, resulting in a less-than-ideal outcome: “We entered Turn 4 in first and second, but we came out first and third. That’s not what you want in the constructors’.”
Despite the team’s strategy, Norris remains adamant about winning in a way he can take pride in. While grateful for McLaren’s support, he doesn’t want a title handed to him simply because of team orders.
“I’m here to race, and if someone’s outperforming me, it’s because they’re doing a better job,” Norris said. “I wouldn’t want to take that away from anyone. Yes, it would be great to have a championship, but you wouldn’t feel proud of it in the long run if it didn’t come through real competition. I want to win by beating Max and proving I’m the best on the track.”
Norris also clarified that Piastri is not being asked to hand over positions in every scenario. Even if they are running first and second in a race, Norris expects Piastri to fight for victory if he’s earned it.
“We’ve had scenarios like this before internally,” Norris explained. “But if Oscar outqualifies me or wins a race, that’s because he did a better job, plain and simple. It’s not his job to go out and just help me win.”
With McLaren solidifying its strategy, the next few races will be critical for Norris’ title bid, but his resolve to earn the championship fairly stands firm, setting up an intense conclusion to the 2024 season.
