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oscar piastri emphasis on this mclaren Will not enforce team orders this weekend qatar grand prix despite this max verstappen going to joint-second place in f1 Title race.
claren’s double disqualification blow The last race in Las Vegas means Verstappen is now level on points With Piastri – both drivers trail the championship leader lando norris From 24 points.
British driver Norris can still win the championship This weekend if he overtakes Verstappen and Piastri by two points during the sprint races and the grand prix.
McLaren have said throughout the season that no team order will be involved and despite Verstappen leading the way with a 104-point deficit over Piastri in seven races, the Australian insisted he will not need to directly help Norris this weekend at Lusail.
Asked if McLaren had talked about favoring Norris, Piastri replied on Thursday: “We have had a very brief discussion and the answer is no. My points are still the same as Max.
“If things go my way I still have a good chance to win it. That’s how we play it.”
Without the DSQ, Piastri would have trailed Norris by 30 points, but the Australian still views the Vegas result as a “net negative” as Verstappen looks to re-emerge into the title picture.
“Ultimately, it’s never a good thing,” Piastri said. “After the result we had, yes, it prevents me from losing those six points to Lando.
“It brings Max much closer to the fight. Overall, it’s still a net negative. Obviously, it’s been quite a tough weekend and a painful finish for the team.”
Piastri claimed his first F1 victory in the 2023 sprint race at the Lusail International Circuit – the same day Verstappen sealed that year’s driver’s championship.
But the Australian is struggling with a terrible run of form and has conceded 34 points since August. He has not been able to reach the podium in his last six races.