Oscar Piastri shares what he won’t let Lando Norris do in Baku despite new McLaren teammate rules

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McLaren is on the verge of taking the lead in the Constructors’ Championship from Red Bull if they can bring home a strong finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The team is within eight points of the defending champions with just eight races left to go in the 2024 season and stand a good chance of finishing the season on a high given their current form.

McLaren is also now backing Lando Norris in the title fight against Max Verstappen now that the Briton is just 62 points behind him in the Drivers’ title race.

Red Bull is having to scramble to figure out a quick fix for its car problems after Verstappen failed to win in the last six Grands Prix, with Christian Horner admitting at Monza that they were the fourth quickest car behind Ferrari.

With Oscar Piastri instructed by team principal Andrea Stella to ‘give up’ victories if, in a scenario that could benefit Norris, the Australian has clarified his position when speaking to Motorsport-Total.

Oscar Piastri not going to simply let Lando Norris pass

Piastri is currently sitting in fourth in the Drivers’ Championship and over 100 points behind Verstappen, which is why Stella wants to prioritise Norris on track.

Discussions were held after the move Piastri made at the Italian GP on Norris on the opening lap, which contributed to the pair losing out on a one-two victory to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Piastri has accepted the new rules but has stated that he is still free to race Norris depending on the circumstances.

“We’re trying to win both championships, which is an incredibly big deal for the team. Of course, the constructors’ classification is one thing, but if you have the opportunity to win both championships in one year, then it is of course a big goal for a team,” said Piastri.

Piastri clarified his position by saying he will not let Norris “pass in every single race” under the current rules of engagement between the pair. “None of us wants to race like that – including Lando,” he added.

McLaren sets sights on Constructors’ Championship

Senior members within Red Bull have already conceded that McLaren might be unstoppable in their current form due to the consistency of both Norris and Piastri.

The duo have scored the most points in the last seven races and have regularly been on the podium, while Red Bull has relied mostly on Verstappen for its 446 points.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

Sergio Perez’s results have cost them and could see the Mexican out of a seat before the end of the season if he is unable to improve his results on track.

McLaren is currently delaying a floor upgrade to their car that could give them extra performance, but do not it to impact their car in the same way it has with their rivals.