Norris on Team Orders: ‘not a fair Question’

YAS MARINA,Abu Dhabi – Lando Norris said McLaren asking Oscar Piastri to help his title bid on Sunday would “not be a fair question” in the team’s bid to stop Max Verstappen from winning the championship,although he suggested he would be fine doing the same if roles were reversed.

Norris leads Red Bull driver Verstappen by 12 points and McLaren teammate Piastri by 16 going into Sunday’s championship showdown.

norris only needs to finish third or higher to win the title, while he can also claim the title with fourth if Verstappen does not win the race.

McLaren has insisted neither driver will be asked to help the other while mathematically in the hunt, but one hypothetical scenario has raised speculation about what the team would do.

Were Verstappen winning the race, with Piastri third and Norris fourth, the Red Bull driver would win the championship in that circumstance — but Norris would win if Piastri let him by again for third.

when asked what would happen in that circumstance, Norris said: “no, not been discussed. Honestly, I mean, I would love it! But I don’t think I would ask it because … I don’t know … It’s up to Oscar if he would allow it, you know. I don’t think it’s necessarily down to me.”

Piastri, sat alongside Norris in the press conference, smirked as the British driver answered the question.

While the two have had a harmonious relationship this season,there has been ongoing speculation about the team’s commitment to the policy dubbed ‘Papaya Rules,’ the racing rules McLaren uses to let its drivers fight as freely as possible.

The only clear deviation from Papaya Rules this year was when McLaren asked piastri to move over to let Norris by for second at the Italian Grand Prix after the latter had a botched pit-stop in the final laps, a request which he reluctantly accepted.

An captivating moment followed in Norris’ answer, as he then hinted that he would have no issue helping Piastri win the title if the circumstance arose.