McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revealed the team is willing to impose team orders during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to ensure that it secures the Formula 1 Drivers’ title.
The Woking-based squad heads into the last race with both drivers still in contention to be crowned World Champion as it endeavours to seal a championship double.
Lando Norris harbours a 16-point advantage over McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, but Max Verstappen is the Briton’s closest challenger as he sits 12 points behind.
Despite Verstappen being a credible threat, McLaren boss Andrea Stella underlined post-race in Qatar last weekend that Piastri won’t be resigned to a supporting role.
But Stella signalled that stance could be revised depending on how the race unravels, should Norris require his team-mate’s assistance to protect against Verstappen.
Brown has now validated Stella’s revelation, emphasising that McLaren would be prepared to intervene in the scenario where a team order would guarantee it the title.
“As long as both drivers have a chance to win the World Championship, which they clearly do sitting here right now, then it’s business as usual,” Brown told media including Motorsport Week at the Yas Marina Circuit. “They’re free to race.
“Obviously, we’ll be practical and realistic that if, as the weekend develops, as the race develops, it becomes clear that one has a significantly better chance than another, then we’re a team that wants to win the Drivers’ Championship. We will race accordingly to do whatever we can to get whatever that driver is in front to try and win the race.
“Our team orders have been around giving equal opportunity to win the championship, but as the race plays out, if it becomes clear that both can’t, then we’re going to do what’s in the best interest of the team and try to win the Drivers’ Championship.”
McLaren has no doubts Piastri would adhere to team orders
When asked whether he is convinced that Piastri would oblige with an order to move aside, Brown highlighted that both drivers have never ignored a team instruction.
“Yes, our drivers have always complied with team wishes, just as we comply with their wishes,” the American responded.
“So I’ve got no doubt either of our drivers will continue to race, as they’ve done brilliantly, in the best interest of the team.”
Brown also dismissed the notion that McLaren’s readiness to exercise team orders goes against the racing principles that the team have adhered to throughout 2025.
“I don’t think it’s a U-turn,” he retorted. “We’re going to start the weekend like we have the other 23, which is going in, giving both drivers equal opportunity.
“I think last year, once it became clear that Lando had the best chance to catch Max, and Oscar was almost statistically out of it in Baku, we then asked Oscar to support Lando, and it ended up being Lando supported Oscar in that particular race, and Oscar won the race.
“So we’re going to use common sense. We’re not going to throw away a Drivers’ Championship over a sixth and seventh place, a third and a fourth place, a fifth and a sixth place, if one of our drivers doesn’t have the opportunity.
“I think everything we do, we do with the drivers, so they know what the game plan is for this weekend, and kind of outside of our racing team, you’re a bit damned if you do, damned if you don’t. And so we’re going to just stay true to our racing principles.
“We want to win the Constructors, which we’ve done, we want to win the Drivers, and so we’ll see how the race plays out.”
READ MORE – Lando Norris unwilling to ask McLaren to impose team orders to help seal maiden F1 title
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