McLaren set to favor Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri as F1 title race tightens

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — McLaren is set to favor Lando Norris over teammate Oscar Piastri in the final eight races of the Formula 1 season after Norris’ title chances were dented by losing the lead to Piastri at the previous race in Italy.

Norris goes into this week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend 62 points behind standings leader Max Verstappen but with more momentum. Verstappen is on a run of six races without a win as the Dutch driver struggles with a Red Bull car he’s called a “monster.”

“We are not classing it as number one and two and I don’t think we ever will. But in terms of our process there is a bias towards helping me,” Norris said Thursday.

Norris started the last race in Italy on pole position but was overtaken by Piastri, giving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc the opportunity to get past Norris for second place too. Leclerc ended up winning the race, with Piastri second and Norris third.

There will be limits to how much Piastri is expected to help Norris, who said he didn’t want to be “given” the title, but the exact details remain unclear.

“Second and third (as in Monza) would probably be switched around. In general he will be helping me probably for lower positions. But if he has fought for a win and is deserving of a win then he deserves to win,” Norris said.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing