While Lando Norris giving Oscar Piastri the Qatar Sprint win did not come as a surprise, the timing of the switch did.

With vital Constructors’ Championship points on the line for McLaren in the Qatar Sprint race, the team made the perfect start as Norris turned pole into the lead while Piastri made his way past Mercedes’ George Russell to see McLaren running one and two.

Lando Norris switcheroo timing surprised Oscar Piastri

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

From there McLaren played the team game, Norris keeping Piastri in his DRS range for much of the Sprint as a competitive Russell made multiple attempts to snatch back P2, but Piastri held firm. Then came the finish.

With Russell still in hot pursuit, Norris would slow before the line and free Piastri to make it back-to-back Qatar Sprint wins, that despite McLaren having told Norris not to do it.

It marked a role reversal of Brazil where Norris – still in the F1 2024 title hunt versus Max Verstappen at the time – was allowed by Piastri to win that Sprint, with Piastri confirming that a returning of the favour was discussed, though the timing caught him a bit off-guard.

Asked by the media, including PlanetF1.com, whether he was surprised that Norris let him through to win the Qatar Sprint, Piastri said: “I mean, not completely surprised.

“We had spoken about it before the race. And, yet again, we swapped.

“I was a bit surprised of the kind of race circumstances, given it was very, very tight. But it was something we spoke about and I guess you can say that the favour has been returned, which is nice, and it shows the teamwork within the team.

“So, it was something we spoke about and well deployed.”

Asked if the whole thing was Norris’ idea, Piastri clarified: “It was the team.

“I think it was Lando’s idea to do it in that moment, but if we had the opportunity to do it, then we were going to do it, basically.

“Exactly the same as Brazil.

“So, it was just from the team.”

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And for Norris, relinquishing a Sprint race victory was no big deal.

“Honestly, I don’t mind,” he said immediately afterwards. “I’m not here to win sprint races. I’m here to win races and a championship, but that didn’t go to plan.”

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