McLaren set to introduce team orders to support Norris title bid / Photo: Andrej ISAKOVIC - AFP
-
Gary, Indiana Blackout Exposes FEMA Relief Disparities Along Racial Lines
-
Malta Chamber of Commerce and FIMBank Sign Alliance Agreement to Boost Corporate Finance
-
Turkish Energy Minister Highlights Qatar as Key Partner for Regional and Global Energy Security
-
Rene Eyre Revisits Autobiographical Performance 'Say A Little Prayer' in London
-
London Museum Granted 24/7 License Ahead of November Opening
-
UAE's HCT Holds Record Graduation and Announces Major Training Expansion
-
Dana White Confirms Flight to Washington for Trump Meeting on Press Secretary Role
-
NASA Awards $10B Lunar Contract Framework to SpaceX, Blue Origin
-
Dengue Fever Expands Into High Himalayas as Climate Change Warms Nepal
-
Katy Perry Tells Fans Ex-Husband Russell Brand 'Should Be in Jail' During UK Concert
-
IoT Refrigerator Hacks Disrupt Blood Labs and Supermarkets Across Europe and US
-
South African election results renew debate over identity-based voting
-
Post-election pressures complicate US and Israeli decisions on Iran
-
South African voters report smoother local election but declining IEC trust
-
UN members approve talks on treaty protocol against environmental crime
-
Dolly Parton museum and Nashville hotel open after singer’s death
-
Family-run West Sussex beach café prepares for first winter season
-
George and Amal Clooney attend New York political-comedy reading
McLaren set to introduce team orders to support Norris title bid
McLaren are poised to introduce team orders to support Lando Norris's bid to beat Max Verstappen to the drivers' world title in this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Widespread reports following a BBC interview published on Thursday in which McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said the team would "bias our support to Lando" made clear they were abandoning a policy of non-interference.
"The overall concept is we are incredibly determined to win, but we want to win in the right way," Stella said.
"We (will) bias our support to Lando, but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles.
"Our principles are that the team interest always comes first. Sportsmanship for us is important in the overall way we go racing. And then we want to be fair to both drivers."
Briton Norris is 62 points behind three-time champion Verstappen of Red Bull with eight Grand Prix races left this year, plus three sprint races.
His McLaren team-mate Australian Oscar Piastri is fourth, 106 points adrift of the Dutchman, and has played a prominent part in the team's resurgence to move within eight points of Red Bull in the constructors' title race.
But given a freedom to race without interference, the driver' have lost points in some races where their duels allowed an opportunity for other drivers as in the recent Italian Grand Prix at Monza won by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
The two McLarens started the race with a lockout of the front row of the grid.
On current form, McLaren may be the fastest team in Baku and overhaul McLaren to topple Red Bull from the top of the teams' title race for the first time in more than two years.
Verstappen, who dominated last season's title race with ease, has not won in six races since the Spanish Grand Prix in June.
Stella, an Italian former Ferrari engineer, said both drivers had accepted the decision.
"When I said to Oscar 'would you be available to give up a victory?' he said 'it's painful, but if it's the right thing to do now, I will do it'," Stella said.
A.Moore--AT
