Oscar Piastri made it clear whether he would help McLaren teammate Lando Norris secure his first Formula 1 title this weekend.
Following a double McLaren disqualification and Max Verstappen’s commanding win in Las Vegas, the 2025 championship battle twists once again as the penultimate round approaches.
Verstappen claimed the maximum 25 points on offer, drawing level with Piastri in the standings ahead of Qatar. Norris remains in the lead in the title race, holding a 24-point advantage.
McLaren has come under pressure multiple times this season for its "Payapa Rulings," which have occasionally produced controversial outcomes.
Piastri’s mathematical chances may be lower than at any other point in the season, but his response to the possibility was nonetheless damning.
"We've had a very brief discussion on it, and the answer is no."Oscar Piastri
Piastri further explained why he would have declined to help Norris, stating: "I'm still on equal points with Max, and got a decent shot of still winning it if things go my way. So that's how we'll play it."
Verstappen openly said that Piastri should tell McLaren to "f*** off" if asked to help Norris secure the title.
According to Verstappen, Piastri deserves equal treatment to Norris, and team orders aren’t justified while he’s still mathematically in the title fight.
“It's perfect,” said the four-time champion. “I think you can't do a better job than allowing them to race as well, because why would you suddenly now say that Oscar wouldn't be allowed anymore?
“If that was said to me I would have not rocked up. I would have told him to ‘f**k off’. So yeah, if you're a real winner in a race, as a driver, then you go for it - even if you're behind. What's the point otherwise to turning up? Otherwise you can easily just label yourself as a number two driver which I think he doesn't want to be. Then for me, I know that I'm equal on points with Oscar.
“Like I said before, a lot still needs to go right, but I think it should be like that, that they are free to race and hopefully we can make it a great battle until the end.”
McLaren remain the firm favorites to clinch both championships, marking the first time since 1998.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!