McLaren tell Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to carry on racing
McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris had cleared the air and were ready to continue competing under the team's 'papaya rules'. PHOTO: AFP
McLaren tell Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to carry on racing
SPIELBERG – McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are free to continue racing each other as hard as always despite their crash at the Canadian Grand Prix, world championship leader Piastri said on June 26.
The 24-year-old Australian said the pair had cleared the air and were ready to continue competing under the team's 'papaya rules'.
'Obviously what happened in Canada wasn't ideal,' he said ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix.
'But we're still free to race, still fighting for a championship each, so we'll keep going racing and make sure that, obviously, we don't come into contact again.'
He added that they had 'spoken about it honestly before we even got back to the team' in Montreal.
'Lando put his hands up and apologised so it's all good and I'm looking forward to going racing again.'
He also said he felt that McLaren's 'let them race, but responsibly' guidance was the 'correct approach' with two drivers competing for the world title.
'It's obviously a difficult one to navigate, but that's a good problem to have in some ways,' he said.
'The biggest and most important thing was just that things remain fair from as many aspects as you can.
'Obviously there's certain situations that are not always going to be completely fair, whether it's strategy because there's only one pit box or some other things...
'And, obviously, the first rule, regardless of whether it is written down or not, is that the two cars from the same team don't crash, so that's the big thing.'
Oscar Piastri heads into the 11th race in a 24-race season with a lead of 22 points ahead of Lando Norris.
PHOTO: AFP
Piastri heads into the 11th race in a 24-race season with a lead of 22 points ahead of Norris and an additional 24 ahead of third-placed four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
He said he did not feel that his advantage was big enough to begin consideration of introducing team orders to support his title bid.
'I just want – and we all want – to have a fair opportunity, as we are trying to win both championships, but, especially in the drivers' championship, because ultimately it can only be one of us,' he reiterated.
'And I think the situation has to change dramatically to start having those conversations. They're a very long way away, at the moment. All I can ask for is a fair chance to try and win the championship and that's what I want as well.
'So no, I'm not willing to enter those talks at all.'
The pair clashed in Canada while fighting for fourth place when Norris misjudged an attempted passing move and hit his teammate's car.
Piastri continued to finish fourth while Norris was forced to retire.
Norris was involved in a collision with Verstappen while attempting to pass him during the Austrian Grand Prix last year and arrives in Spielberg needing a trouble-free weekend and a confidence-boosting result.
Meanwhile, George Russell has suggested his contract renewal talks with Mercedes are being held up because the team are still keen to sign Verstappen.
The 27-year-old Briton, winner in Canada two weeks ago, is out of contract at the end of the season while Verstappen has a deal with Red Bull until 2028, subject to get-out clauses.
Russell told Sky Sports television at the Austrian Grand Prix that Mercedes, constructors' champions eight years in a row from 2014-2021 and currently second to McLaren, wanted to return to the top.
'If you're going to be back on top you need to make sure you've got the best drivers, the best engineers, the best pit crew, and that's what Mercedes are chasing,' he said.
'So, it's only normal that conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing. But from my side, if I'm performing as I'm doing, what have I got to be concerned about? There are two seats in every Formula One team.' AFP, REUTERS
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