Lando Norris

Norris explains why he and Piastri are 'below the team' before Baku title chance

19:39, 14 Sep

Updated: 20:38, 14 Sep

byOlly Darcy

Lando Norris has stated that "the spirit of the team is a priority" and that he and Oscar Piastri are "below that" as they search for constructors' title glory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

"When you see drivers who don't have enough respect for the team and the opportunities the team gives, it doesn't normally last long."

- Lando Norris

McLaren will become the 2025 constructors' champions at the Baku City Circuit and defend their title they won last year if they outscore Ferrari by nine points or more, while also making sure they aren't outscored by 11 or 32 points by Mercedes or Red Bull, respectively.

A win and a P3 finish for the papaya-coloured team will be enough to seal the title with seven races to go, who came under some more scrutiny for their 'papaya rules' at the Italian Grand Prix.

oscar-and-piastri-in-monza-after-the-race-jpg

Lando Norris sits on 293 points in the drivers' standings, 31 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri | Credit: RacePictures

Norris says the team is 'number one'

Norris was handed back P2 at Monza after a slow stop allowed teammate Oscar Piastri through, who had stopped a lap earlier, resulting in the 'papaya rules' used at McLaren to come under scrutiny.

Both Norris and Piastri were asked about the culture that has been built at the British team, and the Brit agreed with his Australian teammate about there being no worries about how the 'papaya rules' work.

"The team is the priority. The team is number one, then the drivers are second. That's how it works," the 25-year-old explained to GPblog after the Grand Prix.

"Normally, when you see drivers who don't have enough respect for the team and the opportunities the team gives, it doesn't normally last long. You see that with plenty of other teams, whether it's been Red Bull, Ferrari, or Mercedes.

"We want to try and be in this position for a longer period of time than what they have been at the top."

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After Norris secured McLaren's first constructors' championship after a 26-year drought, they will be looking to make it back-to-back titles for the first time since 1990 and 1991.

"It's still early days – it's only our second year of fighting for wins. But like Oscar said, the team gives us these opportunities.

"Without the team, then we're just fighting for tenth, and none of us want that. So team and the morale, the spirit of the team, is a priority, and we're below that," concluded Norris.