Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are trying to deliver McLaren’s first constructors’ championship this millennium. They arrive at the Las Vegas Grand Prix looking to bounce back from a collectively poor weekend in Sao Paulo.
McLaren were once again the class of the field in the dry, with Norris leading Piastri in a one-two in the Sprint race. Norris qualified on pole for the main Grand Prix on a wet Sunday morning, while his teammate could only manage eighth.
The British driver duelled George Russell for the lead for the first 30 laps or so, but then pitted moments before a red flag. That dropped him down the order.
A couple of mistakes meant Norris could finish no higher than sixth, while Piastri’s 10-second penalty for a collision with Liam Lawson dropped him to eighth. 12 points was McLaren’s worst showing in a Grand Prix since the first race in Bahrain, when they finished in identical positions.
They maintain a 36-point advantage over Ferrari in the constructors’ standings. Reigning champions Red Bull are a further 13 behind.
| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Max Verstappen |
393 |
| 2 |
Lando Norris |
331 |
| 3 |
Charles Leclerc |
307 |
| 4 |
Oscar Piastri |
262 |
| 5 |
Carlos Sainz Jr |
244 |
There are also individual battles with the Ferrari pair in the drivers’ championship. Norris is fighting Charles Leclerc for second, with Piastri trying to hold off Carlos Sainz for fourth.
Oscar Piastri is delighted by the end of Lando Norris team orders at McLaren
Norris’ sixth-place finish, coupled with Max Verstappen’s extraordinary victory, has effectively ended the drivers’ title fight. The Red Bull driver can seal the crown by finishing ahead in Las Vegas.
But failing that, he only needs another 24 points from the final three rounds, which include a Sprint weekend in Qatar, to be certain of the title. This means McLaren will no longer prioritise Norris.
Piastri had to move over in the Brazil Sprint to give Norris the victory after qualifying on pole. He received the same instruction after his teammate fell back in the race.
Speaking on Ted’s Podbook ahead of the race in Vegas, Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz said Piastri was visibly thrilled that the driver hierarchy is no more. McLaren’s main focus from here is on the constructors’.
“His teammate Oscar Piastri could hardly keep the smile from his face when we underlined that, because it’s a very long shot for Lando’s driver championship, Oscar won’t be asked to give up any more wins, like the Sprint race win in Brazil,” Kravitz said.
“Oscar was like ‘yeah, I only did it once, but it’s good that I don’t have to do it again’. It allows him to race a bit more freely.”
Why Red Bull were unhappy with Oscar Piastri team orders before Las Vegas Grand Prix
There was also a third team order to Piastri which wasn’t made public. It came following Norris’ controversial battle with Verstappen at the United States GP.
In an unbroadcast radio message, McLaren told Piastri to slow down to keep Norris in fourth place. He’d received a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
Red Bull simulator Rudy van Buren was unhappy with McLaren for demoting Piastri in the Brazil Sprint. He felt that the Australian deserved to win.
Others argue that McLaren weren’t decisive enough in backing Norris earlier in the season. That cost him points in Hungary and Italy, reducing the pressure on Verstappen.
