'Are McLaren Serious?! Norris & Piastri Talk Team Orders'
With the championship on the line this weekend in Abu Dhabi, catch all the hot topics in our latest paddock update!
The championship is on the line this weekend in Abu Dhabi, which is the final race of the season.
Lando Norris holds a 12-point advantage over Max Verstappen, and a 16-point advantage over team-mate, Oscar Piastri. The pressure is on Norris, who is up against two drivers that do not have much to lose.
Despite being over 100 points down on Piastri in late August, the Dutchman has closed on the McLaren duo rapidly. Over the last two races, Verstappen has taken 37-points out of championship leader, Lando Norris, due to McLaren's disqualification in Las Vegas, and a strategic blunder in Qatar.
In order to win the championship, Norris will need to stand on the podium this weekend, regardless of where Verstappen and Piastri end up. On the other hand, Verstappen needs to win the race this weekend, with Norris finishing fourth or lower, in order to take the title. However, Piastri needs to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and needs Norris to finish in sixth or lower, in order to take the title.
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However, throughout the 2025 season, McLaren have occasionally asked either Piastri or Norris, to swap places in order to establish fairness in the championship. Notoriously, Piastri was asked to swap places with Norris at the Italian Grand Prix, after the Briton suffered a slow pit stop, which brought him out behind his team-mate.
What did the drivers say about possible team orders in Abu Dhabi? Find out more about that and the other major talking points of the Abu Dhabi GP in our F1 Paddock Update video at the top of this article!
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