'Change in Strategy: McLaren Releases Oscar Piastri from Supporting Lando Norris' Pursuit of the Title'
McLaren will no longer enforce a hierarchy among its drivers as the Las Vegas Grand Prix approaches on Saturday.
Oscar Piastri, a McLaren driver, stated that he is no longer required to play a supporting role for his teammate Lando Norris, as Norris' chances of winning the driver's championship are slim.
When asked if the team's strategy has changed, Piastri replied, "Pretty much, yes."
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Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing is currently leading the drivers' standings with 393 points, followed by Norris with 331 points, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari with 307 points, and Piastri with 262 points.
Dubbed the "papaya rules," Piastri was previously obligated to prioritize Norris' points in order to keep the pressure on Verstappen. This meant that Piastri had to back off during a sprint race in Brazil on November 3rd to allow Norris to pass and earn more points.
Piastri's recent comment of "pretty much" suggests that he may still be required to assist his teammate in certain situations.
He stated, "There's still some specific scenarios where I might be needed to help out, but for the majority of situations, it's back to how it was."
Although Verstappen is in a strong position to win the drivers' championship, McLaren is still aiming for the constructors' championship. They currently lead with 593 points, followed by Ferrari with 557 points and Red Bull with 544 points.
To his credit, Piastri has not objected to playing a supporting role for his teammate. He has his sights set on being the one who receives support in 2025.
He stated, "Obviously next year, I want to make sure that I'm not in a position to be subject to that in terms of the championship. But realistically, I only needed to help out that one time in Brazil and that's been it. So there's been a lot of talk, but not much on-track action."
