Brown: McLaren Will Not Favor Norris or Piastri Over Verstappen for Title

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has stated that the team would rather lose the Drivers' Championship to Max Verstappen than impose team orders favoring either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri in their ongoing title fight. With only four rounds remaining, Verstappen has narrowed a 104-point deficit to 36 points, while Norris leads Piastri by a single point heading into the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. This stance underscores McLaren's commitment to fair competition between its drivers, even with the looming specter of the 2007 season where internal rivalry cost the team a championship.

Why it matters:

This declaration highlights McLaren's core racing philosophy: allowing drivers to compete freely, even if it carries the risk of internal point-scoring. In a championship battle as tight as this, where both Norris and Piastri are vying for their maiden world title, every point counts. While it might appear to give Verstappen an advantage by allowing McLaren drivers to take points off each other, Brown believes that preserving the competitive integrity within the team is more crucial than tactical favoritism. This approach sets a clear precedent for how McLaren intends to manage future championship challenges with multiple contenders.

The Details:

• Free Racing Policy: McLaren has maintained throughout the season that both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are free to race each other without team orders.
• Current Standings: Ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Norris holds a slim one-point lead over Piastri, both contending for their first world championship.
• Championship Gap: Max Verstappen has significantly closed the gap, reducing a 104-point lead to just 36 points with four races left.
• 2007 Precedent: Brown specifically referenced the dramatic 2007 F1 season, where McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, locked in an intense rivalry, ultimately lost the Drivers' Championship to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen by a single point. McLaren did not back a single driver then, a decision Brown appears to be upholding.
• Brown's Stance: On the 'Beyond the Grid' podcast, Brown emphasized, "I'd rather go, 'We did the best we could with our drivers tied in points, and the other beat us by one,' than the alternative - telling one of our drivers right now, when they're one point apart, 'I know you have a dream to win the world championship, but we flipped a coin and you don't get to do it this year.' Forget it!"
• No Favoritism: He firmly stated that playing favorites is "not how we go racing" and that if a repeat of 2007 were to occur, he would prefer that outcome over any form of internal favoritism.

The Big Picture:

McLaren's decision to prioritize fair competition between its drivers, even at the potential cost of a championship, reflects a long-standing debate in Formula 1 about team orders versus sporting integrity. While some teams might opt for strategic interventions to maximize their chances of securing a title, McLaren is choosing a path that prioritizes the spirit of competition and the dreams of its drivers. This approach could either be hailed as a testament to pure racing or criticized as a tactical misstep if the championship slips away. It certainly adds an intriguing layer to an already thrilling title race.

What's next:

With the Sao Paulo Grand Prix marking a Sprint weekend, the intensity of the championship battle is set to escalate. All eyes will be on how Norris and Piastri manage their on-track rivalry, especially given the high stakes and McLaren's clear directive. The outcome in Brazil and subsequent races will test McLaren's commitment to their 'free racing' policy and determine if their philosophy can ultimately lead to a world championship, or if the ghost of 2007 will return to haunt them.