Will McLaren be forced to backtrack on team orders after Oscar Piastri’s Azerbaijan win?
Oscar Piastri took a stellar victory in Azerbaijan just days after effectively getting the number 2 status at McLaren.
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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (images via IMAGO)
McLaren have become the favorites for the 2024 F1 season. The Woking-based team removed the ‘Papaya rules’ and shifted its focus on Lando Norris‘ campaign from the Azerbaijan GP. However, it was Oscar Piastri who emerged victorious after an impressive drive.
The British team had made it clear that Piastri would be supporting Norris this weekend, hinting at potential team orders. However, things changed drastically after the British driver failed to make it out of Q1 on Saturday.
Subsequently, McLaren’s hopes lied on Oscar Piastri and the Australian driver delivered on all counts. Now, the Woking-based squad might be forced to reconsider its stance on team orders following this weekend.
Oscar Piastri still far behind Lando Norris in the standings
Lando Norris now trails Max Verstappen by 59 points with seven races to go. On the other hand, Piastri is 32 points behind his teammate in fourth place. Despite an incredible victory in Baku, McLaren could still make the case that Norris is in best position to defeat the reigning world champion.
However, courtesy of Oscar Piastri’s victory, McLaren now leads the championship standings for the first time since 2014. The Woking-based squad is now the only team this season to have both its drivers win two races each, a testament to consistency.
As such, the Australian driver could make a case for himself. Piastri understands that he needs to toe the party line. However, it was Lando Norris who was given team orders in Baku. Subsequently, it might be all for play within McLaren in the coming races if Norris once again has a disappointing performance. Fans could certainly expect to see an exciting battle brewing at Woking in the coming weeks.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2310 Articles Published)