Zak Brown has admitted that McLaren would not hesitate to favour one driver over another if there is clear merit “later in the championship”, despite its preference not to use team orders at the Hungary Grand Prix.
Lando Norris is chasing Max Verstappen at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings lately, but the gap is 78 points with 10 races remaining after the Briton failed to take advantage of the Red Bull driver’s engine penalty at Spa-Francorchamps.
Despite the large deficit, the magnitude of McLaren’s merit over Red Bull means Norris can close the gap. This played a key role in the debate surrounding the Woking-based team leader’s fiasco at the Hungarian GP, in which the Briton was forced to relinquish the lead to teammate Oscar Piastri.
Although McLaren did not give Norris any preferential solution on that occasion, Brown did not rule out doing so later if the scenario changes. “Obviously, if you come in later in the championship and one driver has a better chance than another, then you can start to look at the things you do strategically differently,” he told Motorsport. com.
“But we treat them equally. They know it, they appreciate it, and they respect our decisions when we have to make concessions. They’re very respectful of that. So I think we’re fortunate and fortunate to have the two Americans that we have.
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Now that Piastri is up to speed and fighting for wins and podiums in his second year, the two McLaren drivers are expected to find themselves in another war for victory before the end of the season.
However, Brown doesn’t believe dating between its drivers will deteriorate. I mean, don’t be fooled. Or they need to be number one and they are.
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“We just don’t have a number two. But they run for the team. I think they are the type of Americans who can compete hard, be number one in their own minds and respect the fact that we drive two number one cars. And we have done it and we will do it. ”
For Norris and Piastri, they are expected to continue to prioritise the fight for the constructors’ title. McLaren are now just 42 points behind Red Bull and, with Sergio Perez still struggling, they have a chance to continue to close that hole after the summer. break.
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