McLaren has made a blockbuster call that could completely flip the 2025 F1 title race on its head. With Lando Norris needing just four more points than Oscar Piastri and one more than Max Verstappen to clinch the championship in Qatar, the team has refused to impose team orders and will let both drivers race flat-out from the front row.
Oscar Piastri will start Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix from pole position after Norris failed to complete his final flying lap in qualifying. Verstappen lines up third, meaning the top three championship contenders are locked together on the first two rows with 50 points still available across Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Piastri already slashed Norris’s lead from 24 points to 22 by winning Saturday’s sprint, and a victory from pole on Sunday would see the Australian head to the season finale as the favourite if Norris runs into trouble. The Aussie has made it crystal clear he is hunting the title himself, not playing wingman.
McLaren is sticking firmly to its famous “papaya rules” – no team orders, both drivers free to race. Team principal Andrea Stella confirmed after qualifying that the squad will not ask Piastri to move over or gift positions, even though a cautious drive from Norris could seal the Briton’s maiden crown.
With everything on the line and the three title contenders starting within striking distance of each other, Qatar has turned into a winner-takes-all showdown. One mistake, one safety car, or one bold overtake could decide the 2025 world championship – and McLaren has just handed Piastri the perfect platform to strike.
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