Oscar Piastri has confirmed that McLaren raised the possibility of him assisting teammate Lando Norris in the Formula 1 drivers' championship, but the Australian dismissed the idea. With two rounds remaining, Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen are 24 points behind Norris, who could secure the title at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.
McLaren, already constructors' champions, had assured equal status for both drivers, but Verstappen's late-season surge has tightened the title race. Piastri, who has not finished ahead of Norris or Verstappen since winning the Dutch Grand Prix in August, told reporters on Thursday that the discussion was brief and the answer was no.
“We've had a very brief discussion on it, and the answer is no,” Piastri said. “I'm still equal on points with Max and I've got a decent shot of still winning it if things go my way so, yeah, that's how we'll play.”
Piastri, who could become the first Australian champion since Alan Jones in 1980, acknowledged his chances are an outside shot but pointed to past examples like Sebastian Vettel's 2010 title win from third place in the final race. “I know it's not impossible,” he said.
Verstappen supported Piastri's stance, saying McLaren should allow both drivers to race. “If you're a real winner and a racer, as a driver, then you go for it,” Verstappen said. “Otherwise you can just easily label yourself as a number two driver.”
The Qatar Grand Prix will be held at the Lusail International Circuit, with the race starting at 3am AEDT on Monday, December 1.
