In recent months, Oscar Piastri has been facing increasing competition from Max Verstappen. The Australian has been leading the championship since spring, but now fears for his first title. There has been much discussion this season about appointing a first driver within McLaren, but according to Juan Pablo Montoya, it is contractually excluded that either Piastri or Lando Norris should play second fiddle.
As Max Verstappen has been increasing the pressure in recent weeks, the debate has flared up again as to whether McLaren should favor one of its drivers. If the papayas grant the title to Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris could sacrifice his own races to thwart Max Verstappen. However, McLaren continues to insist on equal treatment. “May the best man win,” is the new motto of CEO Zak Brown.
‘McLaren cannot favor anyone’
According to former driver and analyst Juan Pablo Montoya, it is in any case excluded that McLaren gives one of its drivers preferential treatment. The Colombian states that the drivers’ contracts explicitly state that the team cannot issue team orders as long as they mathematically still have a chance at the title – provided those orders are in favor of the other driver.
“McLaren cannot favor anyone,” Montoya told AS Colombia. “Firstly, the contracts state that as long as both drivers still have title aspirations, no team orders may be demanded that help the other. Of course, team orders in the interest of the team are allowed,” he added. “It will be interesting to see how they will handle this internally.”
In the run-up to the main race in Mexico City, the championship is still open. After an impressive rise, Max Verstappen must start from a disappointing fifth place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Oscar Piastri also had a difficult qualification and has to settle for the seventh starting place. Lando Norris – who is only fourteen World Championship points away from leading the standings – starts from pole position after a promising Saturday.
