The nightmare scenario that will see McLaren choose who wins F1 drivers' title

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris face off with the F1 drivers' trophy between them — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Opinion

The nightmare scenario that will see McLaren choose who wins F1 drivers' title

A dangerous precedent has been set

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Tuesday 9 September 2025 19:57

McLaren have just set the precedent for the team to decide who wins the F1 drivers' title this year - Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris.

It has (rightly) been the most talked about topic following the Italian GP. McLaren's decision to implement team orders and ask Piastri to swap positions with Norris after the latter had a slow pit stop that backfired and saw him come out behind his team-mate.

Regardless of everything else, it can easily be argued that McLaren were massively overthinking things, but there is a far more alarming scenario that might just have been given life following their antics in Monza.

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The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix wraps up proceedings on December 7, and at a track that is no stranger to controversy (no we are not going there today) a new scandal could be brewing.

How McLaren are at risk of playing F1 god

Picture the scene. Red Bull have got their act together in the latter half of the season and Max Verstappen has found form.

Not enough to mount a late title charge, but enough to be 12 seconds clear at the Yas Marina Circuit for this year's season finale.

Nobody is really paying too much attention to the Dutchman however as both Piastri and Norris have arrived in Abu Dhabi level on points. It all comes down to this.

Approaching the halfway stage of the race, Piastri is in second, four seconds clear of Norris in third - but there is a threat behind from Charles Leclerc or George Russell, prompting McLaren to bring in Norris first, as happened in Monza.

The team orders at McLaren come in and Norris heads into the pits for some new rubber. A 2.2-second stop, out he comes in clean air.

One lap later and it's now Piastri's turn, but this time there's an issue. The front right is slow and now there's traffic coming down the pit-lane and he can't get out straight away. An agonising eight-second stop transpires and guess what - he's come out behind Norris.

And so begs the question: now what?

"I think the team did the correct thing. I didn't lose it [the position] because I made a mistake or did anything wrong. I was ahead, so it's only fair." - Lando Norris after the Italian GP.

Does Will Joseph come on the radio and tell Norris to give the place back? Do McLaren really let team orders decide who wins the drivers' title?

If you find yourself saying 'Oh but they won't do it so late in the season', did the six-point swing in Monza not make a difference?

Or perhaps you're thinking 'Once the constructors' championship has been confirmed they'll stop team orders' - Ferrari virtually need to claim one-two finishes in the remaining eight races while Piastri and Norris finish outside the top 10 in all of those to usurp McLaren. It is already wrapped up.

The point here is that team orders exist for a reason. But they are not for teams to decide which of their drivers gets how many points at a race.

Regardless of 'bad luck' - this is sport, this is F1. Let them race - the fact you have to tell team-mates to keep it clean is baffling.

This has been one of the most mundane title battles in years, despite it actually being quite close for once.

McLaren have taken the edge away from two team-mates going toe-to-toe in a bid to win the title for the sake of 'papaya rules'.

Before this gets any messier, please just leave them to it.

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