Oscar Piastri supports McLaren’s equal driver policy, accepting Max Verstappen may win 2025 F1 title amid team’s balanced strategy.
Piastri says he supports McLaren F1’s commitment to letting both its drivers fight for the world championship, even if that weakens their chances against Max Verstappen.
The McLaren driver holds a 13-point lead over teammate Lando Norris ahead of round eight of the championship. However, their rival Verstappen is just nine points behind Norris and has won more races than anyone else except Piastri.
Equal Chance, Shared Goal
Last year, McLaren won the Constructors’ Championship, while Verstappen claimed the Drivers’ title. And Zak Brown publicly confirmed in Monaco that the team would not appoint a number one driver.
Piastri has acknowledged it is “possible” Verstappen could beat them to the Drivers’ title this year, even if McLaren secures the Constructors’ crown. However, Piastri said both he and Norris want McLaren to give them equal chances to win.
“From both sides of the garage, we want to win because we’ve been the best driver, the best team — including against the other car in the team.”
“You always want to win on merit and beat everyone, including your teammate.”
“So it gives Lando and me the best shot at achieving our personal goal — becoming world champion drivers — while also delivering the main result for the team, which is the Constructors’ Championship.”
Fair Play Over Favouritism
Last year, as Norris tried to close the gap to Verstappen in the standings, McLaren waited until the end of the season before asking Piastri to support his teammate. Piastri won the Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of Norris in July but let him pass to take the sprint race win at Interlagos four months later.
Piastri said that if one of the McLaren drivers were to win the championship this year, they wanted to be sure their teammate had the same opportunity for success.
“If we were beaten by Max, of course it would be disappointing, but we would know that we both had equal chances, that we were competing against everyone, and that fair things had taken place.”
“For us, it’s the simplest and fairest way to go racing, and that’s what we’ve asked for.”
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