Oscar Piastri will not be ready to play second fiddle to Lando Norris for title fight
Oscar Piastri has not indicated that he will be eager to help Lando Norris in the Briton's fight against Max Verstappen for the 2024 title.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (images via IMAGO)
McLaren now seem to have the fastest car on the grid. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri enjoy a significant pace advantage, particularly against Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The Woking-based squad had let both Norris and Piastri fight one another so far this year. However, things might change in the coming weeks.
At the Italian GP, Oscar Piastri made an aggressive move on Lando Norris to take the race lead. Ultimately, Norris even lost second place due to this overtake. McLaren has stated that the two drivers can fight as long as they follow the ‘Papaya rules.’
However, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner recently stated that McLaren will lose the title if they continue with these rules. Many in the paddock have urged the Woking-squad to start backing Lando Norris if it truly wants to win the title. Although, it seems that things are not going to be easy with Oscar Piastri.
Oscar Piastri is a man fending for himself
After the Italian GP, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were asked if McLaren should favor Norris. The British driver gave a diplomatic answer that such a decision was not under his control. On the other hand, Piastri simply refused to comment on the situation.
The Australian driver is currently fourth in the standings, while Norris sits in second place. Recently, McLaren boss Andrea Stella suggested that the team could indeed turn its focus on Lando Norris, effectively making Piastri the number 2 at the team. Although, Zak Brown has claimed that having two number 1 drivers is McLaren’s way of doing things. Two contradictory remarks by the leadership, highlighting that no decision has been made yet.
Oscar Piastri is no Sergio Perez or Valtteri Bottas. The Australian driver never holds back from making bold moves on the track and is here to win. However, McLaren might need to find a way to ensure that the Australian driver does not hamper Norris’ title prospects. As Lando Norris is in the best position to defeat Max Verstappen for the 2024 world title. It remains to be seen if team orders are implemented by the McLaren pit wall in Baku.
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Armaan Agarwal
(1984 Articles Published)