Oscar Piastri Ready to Support Lando Norris in Singapore

Oscar Piastri stated that McLaren is prepared to support Lando Norris in his championship bid if necessary at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Australian driver noted that his recent win in Baku hasn’t changed McLaren’s strategy. “Lando is still ahead in the championship and has a more realistic chance of winning,” Piastri explained. He added that while he aims to win races himself, he’s willing to assist Norris if the situation arises.

Heading into Singapore, Norris trails championship leader Max Verstappen by 59 points while Piastri sits 32 points behind Norris. Before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, McLaren indicated they would prioritize Norris, given his proximity to the championship lead. However, a yellow flag during qualifying forced Norris to start from 15th but he managed to finish fourth, while Verstappen placed fifth.

Team principal Andrea Stella mentioned that McLaren would reassess their approach following Baku. Oscar Piastri highlighted how Lando Norris supported him during his Baku victory, noting that Norris helped him save tires while backing up Sergio Perez on the lap before Piastri’s pit stop. This teamwork allowed Piastri to overtake Charles Leclerc for the lead three laps later.

Looking ahead to Singapore, Piastri remarked that it’s challenging to predict how situations will unfold without experiencing them. Meanwhile, Verstappen, who hasn’t won in seven races acknowledged the difficulties he anticipates in Singapore, particularly due to the car’s performance on bumpy tracks. He expressed hope for an improved showing compared to last year when he finished fifth after qualifying 11th.

Additionally, Verstappen welcomed Red Bull’s decision to promote his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase to a broader role following the departure of sporting director Jonathan Wheatley. Lambiase will continue to serve as Verstappen’s engineer while taking on new responsibilities at the end of the season.