Zak Brown has revealed that McLaren may soon prioritize Lando Norris’ quest for the F1 drivers’ championship over his teammate’s interests.
This summer, McLaren will decide whether to back Lando Norris in the F1 drivers’ championship race. This announcement follows an incident at the Hungarian Grand Prix where McLaren instructed Norris to let his teammate, Oscar Piastri, pass, frustrating Norris.
Piastri’s victory, paired with Norris’s second-place finish, cost Norris an extra seven points. These points would have narrowed Max Verstappen’s lead in the championship to 69 points.
Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO, mentioned plans to discuss priorities with team principal Andrea Stella during the summer shutdown. Brown emphasized that the constructors’ championship is within their reach, despite being challenging. He also acknowledged the difficulty of making up ground in the drivers’ championship due to Verstappen’s consistent top finishes.
During the last race in Hungary, Brown, who was not present, had full confidence that Norris would follow team orders to let Piastri pass. He explained that a delay in the position change meant fewer laps of nerve-wracking racing for him. Brown appreciated the outcome and pointed out that the team learned valuable lessons in communication.
In the end, some better communication could have improved the situation, but it all worked out according to plan. The team aims to clarify their strategies during the summer break to strengthen their campaign in the latter half of the season.
As McLaren enters the summer break, the team must weigh their options and decide whether to support Norris in his title chase. This decision could significantly impact their season’s outcome.
