No team in F1 has the perfect combination of two elite drivers contending for wins in a car capable of fighting for the championship. Well, no one except McLaren.
The Woking-based outfit insists both drivers will get an equal chance to fight for wins and podiums. But is that really the case?
After all, right at the start of this season—even before any points were on the board—McLaren asked Piastri not to go after Norris in Albert Park, his home race. Considering the Melbourne-born driver looked faster, it was a shocking call. And while Piastri went on to win the next race in China, it was purely due to his own dominant performance—not because the team asked Norris to hold off.
On the Unlapped podcast, journalist Nicole Briscoe claimed Zak Brown, CEO of the Woking-based outfit, secretly favors Norris over Piastri.
“Zak said when they went into last season, he said being involved in the championship fight was not on his radar. He said his number one goal was to get Lando a win, and then he was like Oscar, too. I thought that was like super super telling sentence because the team’s CEO seems so much in the corner of Lando,” Briscoe said.
As such, she believes that “Lando is the chosen son” at McLaren.
That said, Briscoe’s co-host Katie George feels that Brown is obligated to side with Norris, regardless of how good Piastri is. Norris has been with McLaren since 2019 and stuck with the team through tough times when they were far from winning.
Not too long ago, reports suggested that Red Bull tried to poach Norris when McLaren was struggling to score points. However, the Bristol-born driver chose to renew his contract, declaring his belief and loyalty to the papaya colors.
So, Brown wanting to see Norris win a race ahead of Piastri is understandable to George.
LAP 29/58
Piastri is told by his McLaren team to switch positions with Norris
The Aussie moves aside for his team mate#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/IvR4hzpAtV
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
Given how the last 12 months have unfolded for Norris, he would be pleased with his decision to stay at Woking. McLaren once again looks like a strong contender for the championship this year, setting up the possibility of a straight fight between Piastri and Norris for the Drivers’ title.
McLaren’s season so far and what lies ahead
McLaren appears to have had a perfect start to the 2025 season, securing 1-2 finishes in both races so far, with Norris and Piastri each claiming a victory.
With the season still in its early stages, McLaren has allowed both drivers to race freely. However, that could change if one of them begins to dominate and emerges as the clear favorite for the championship.
A slay day in the office #McLaren | #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/7CZjRZmrOb
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) March 23, 2025
Last season, Norris was the only realistic challenger to Max Verstappen for the Drivers’ title, leading McLaren to implement team orders in his favor. Piastri, understanding the situation, accepted a supporting role.
But 2025 is a different story. Both drivers are now genuine title contenders, making it crucial that neither allows the other to build a substantial lead.
Most experts are labeling Norris as the favorite, and journalists like George and Briscoe feel the Briton holds the advantage in terms of the intra-team pecking order too. However, Piastri is simply too good to just be a number two. So watch out Norris and McLaren.
