In another swing of the McLaren pendulum, momentum is with Lando Norris after he claimed pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix having beaten Oscar Piastri last time out at Imola.

It validates McLaren’s stance to not support one driver over the other, but Martin Brundle says it is a call they can only avoid if they keep Max Verstappen behind them.

McLaren stand firm on team orders, for now…

The dominant team in the F1 2025 championship, McLaren are running away with the Constructors’ title where they’re already 132 points clear of their nearest rival.

They’re also 1-2 in the Drivers’ Championship with Piastri 13 points ahead of Norris.

But unlike in the teams’ standings, McLaren do not have a clear advantage in the individual race as Piastri and Norris have taken points off one another, opening the door for their rivals.

First in that queue is four-time World Champion Verstappen who, having won two races, is just nine points down on Norris.

McLaren could best serve the team’s interest by backing one driver over the other, however, CEO Zak Brown says they won’t do that unless it becomes clear that either Piastri or Norris have no chance of winning the title.

F1 2025: McLaren team-mate head-to-head stats

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

“The only reason you would choose is if you got to a point where it was clear one had a really good chance and the other didn’t,” he told Sky F1, “but sitting here right now we’re first and second.

“I think we’re one second place away from them, swapping positions, so it’s very early.

“It’s how McLaren goes racing, it’s how we’ve always gone racing. Maybe the fact that they’re taking points off each other will keep Max in the game, versus if we went the one-car team approach. But we’re going to try and go for the Constructors’, the Drivers’ 1-2 in the championship, and hope that letting our drivers race doesn’t compromise the Drivers’ Championship. I think they both want to win the right way.”

It’s not a case of never say never, but Brundle has warned McLaren they can only maintain that approach if they can continue to dominate Grands Prix with 1-2 results. Then they never have to make a decision.

“They can wait until it’s mathematically the case, because that’ll be October or November, given the number of races we have and how late the season goes on,” the former F1 driver.

“So I think Zak left the door open there by saying, there’s no need to yet, but I don’t think they’ll put a line in the sand as to when it absolutely will happen. I think they need to see it unfold.

“But there is no doubt about it, Lando and Oscar will keep taking points off each other, and so the only way they’re going to really comfortably beat Max to P1, 2, is if they keep winning the races.”

“I hope they do leave it until October,” added Jenson Button, “because it looks like they’re going to they’re going to sew the manufacturers’ title up, right? It’s going to happen. They’re so far in front, and both drivers are competitive.

“But we want to see the fight – a proper, clean, straightforward fight – for the title. We don’t want team-mates helping.”

Asked by Brundle if he would ‘sacrifice’ the Drivers’ title for the pleasure of watching the McLaren team-mates fight wheel-to-wheel until the bitter end, the Briton conceded it’s an easy decision for him as he’s not the team owner.

“I think so,” he said. “Yeah I think so. I mean I’m not a team owner.

“The manufacturer championship is actually the one that they really want to win. So I think it’s the right thing to do and to be fair, I think they both can be fighting for the championship all the way until the end.”

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