Lando Norris: McLaren driver wants to earn F1 title on merit, despite new team orders

Lando Norris says he wants to try to earn the world title on merit, despite McLaren asking his team-mate Oscar Piastri to support the Briton if necessary.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella told BBC Sport the team would “bias” their operations towards Norris as they seek to win the drivers’ title as well as the constructors’ championship this season.

Norris said he was “thankful” for the team’s decision but said: “I don’t want to be given a championship.

“Yes, it would be great to have a championship, and short term you feel amazing, but I don’t think you’d be proud of that in the long run. It’s not how I want to win a championship.”

Norris heads into this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix 62 points behind championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull, with a maximum of 232 points available in the remaining eight races.

McLaren are just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, with Ferrari a further 31 adrift.

Norris added: “I want to win it by fighting against Max and beating Max, beating my competitors and proving I’m the best on track. That’s how I want to race.”

Stella made it clear that McLaren had not decided to ask Piastri to back Norris under any circumstances.

“The overall concept is we are incredibly determined to win, but we want to win in the right way,” he said.

“We [will] bias our support to Lando but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles.

“Our principles are that the team interest always comes first. Sportsmanship for us is important in the overall way we go racing – and then we want to be fair to both drivers.”

Piastri said: “The team have asked me to help out, and I’ve said for the last few races that if I was asked, then I would.

“Of course naturally, as a driver, it’s never an easy thing or a simple thing to agree to. But again, there’s a much bigger picture in play than just myself.”

Both Norris and Piastri played down the idea the Australian might be asked to sacrifice a win for his team-mate.

Norris said: “Probably not. In general, probably for lower positions, but if he’s fought for a win and he’s deserving of a win, then he deserves to win.

“Oscar is still fighting for his own racing, he’s still going out and doing his stuff. And it could be that there’s no time this year that he needs to help me.

“It’s more that I’ve got Oscar’s help when needs be, but he’s still going out with that intent of every session of fighting for himself.”