Photo Credit: Getty Images
McLaren has officially opened the door to team orders ahead of the championship-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with CEO Zak Brown confirming the team will intervene if it becomes clear only one of their drivers can secure the 2025 Formula 1 title. Lando Norris leads the standings by 12 points over Max Verstappen, while Oscar Piastri sits a further four points behind.
Throughout the season, McLaren has operated under its "papaya rules," allowing Norris and Piastri to race freely as long as they avoid unnecessary contact. The approach has been widely praised for producing exciting wheel-to-wheel action, but with the title on the line and Verstappen still a threat, Brown says the situation now requires flexibility.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of the final weekend, Brown made the team's stance clear. Asked whether Piastri would be instructed to move aside if he no longer had a realistic chance at the championship, he said, "Yes, of course. We're realistic. We want to win this drivers' championship." Brown added that both drivers still start the weekend with equal status, but circumstances will dictate McLaren's calls once the race unfolds. "If we get into the race and it's becoming pretty clear that one has a chance and the other doesn't, we're going to do what we can to win the drivers' championship. It would be crazy not to."
Brown stressed that the intention is not to favor one driver arbitrarily, but to maximize the title chances for the team as a whole. "It's a team sport... if one of them can't win, they want the other to win," he said, pointing to past examples of cooperation between Norris and Piastri, including during Brazil and Qatar last season.
Both drivers admitted in the Abu Dhabi press conference that team orders had not yet been formally discussed. Norris said he would welcome help but wouldn't push for it, explaining, "Honestly, I would love it... but I don't think I would ask for it." Piastri remained more reserved, noting he couldn't comment until he knew what would be expected of him.
Team principal Andrea Stella echoed Brown's view, saying the final approach will be guided by fairness and transparency. "If any of the drivers is in condition to pursue the quest to win the title, then we will respect this," he said, emphasizing that any strategy must align with McLaren's principles.
With three drivers still in contention, McLaren appears prepared for every scenario—especially the one that secures its first drivers' crown since 2008.
