McLaren chief Zak Brown has confirmed he intends to carry out team orders in this weekend’s title decider in Abu Dhabi to ensure Max Verstappen is unable to beat Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to win the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
Norris moved into the lead of the standings with a 12-point lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, while his McLaren team-mate Piastri went into the decider a further four points behind. This means all three can still win the title.
If Verstappen takes the lead in Sunday’s race, a scenario could arise that would all but end Piatri’s championship hopes. But he could help Norris win the title by passing the Briton, who would be guaranteed a maiden drivers’ crown if he lands on the podium.
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The McLaren duo reveal what could happen if Oscar Piastri calls on Lando Norris to help the Briton win the Drivers’ Championship.
In an exclusive interview sky sports Ahead of Friday’s practice session at Yas Marina Circuit, Brown was asked whether the team expected Piastri to give way to Norris in such a scenario.
He replied: “Of course. We are realistic. We want to win this Drivers’ Championship.
“Despite the obvious gap, we will come into the weekend knowing that we both have an equal chance.
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Craig Slater explains what Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris all need to do to secure victory in Abu Dhabi.
“We don’t know how qualifying will go and whether it will be reliable, but when we get into the race and it’s pretty clear that one person has a chance and the other doesn’t, we’re going to do what we can to win the drivers’ championship, it would be crazy not to.
“We want to win the drivers’ championship, so we’ll see how the race goes, but we’re not going to win the championship because we’re trying to protect third and fourth, sixth and seventh and how things pan out.”
‘It’s not uncommon for teammates to make sacrifices for each other’
Norris and Piastri sat down with Verstappen at the drivers’ press conference on Thursday and were asked about the possible use of team orders in the season finale, with the Briton saying he would “love” to receive help rather than having to ask his team-mate for it.
Piastri said the team has not yet discussed using team commands, so “we can’t give you an answer until we know what to expect.”
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F1 Grid gives you your opinion on who will take the Drivers’ Championship!
Brown insisted he was not worried about the potential backlash the team or Norris could face if they won the title with the help of team orders.
The American pointed to two occasions last season when his drivers passed each other in sprint races in Sao Paulo and Qatar under team orders.
“It’s a team sport, right? So we’re trying to win the constructors (title) as a team, and we’re trying to win the drivers as a team,” Brown said.
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Ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sky Sports looks back at the story of the 2025 F1 season so far and the drama that derailed the title race.
“I know it sounds a little weird to say that, but if one of you can’t win, you want the other to win. And that’s what the team wants. And they’re team players and we already saw that last year, right?
“You saw that in the sprints in Brazil, I think it was Qatar, so I don’t think it’s unusual in any sport for teammates to sacrifice for each other to give the team what they want.”
The 2025 F1 season concludes with the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports NOW – No Commitment, Cancel Anytime
