Piastri and Norris are locked in a fierce battle, and McLaren is staying out of it

07:11, 15 Jul

Updated: 11:55, 15 Jul

byLuke-John Buckle

McLaren has set the benchmark this season as they are leading the Constructors' Championship and have won the most races.

The British team is 238 points ahead of their nearest rivals, Ferrari, in the standings, while McLaren has won nine of the 12 Grands Prix.

This is a step forward from last year, as they recovered from a stuttering start to narrowly win their first Constructors' Championship since 1998.

The McLaren pair, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, have been free to race on the track as they battle for the title.

Brown will let Piastri and Norris fight

Both drivers are aiming for their first Formula 1 world championship, and it is set for an exclusive duel between the duo. Championship leader Piastri is 69 points ahead of third-placed Max Verstappen.

They did make contact in Canada as Norris made a misjudgment, while the Briton won in Austria after a hard-fought battle in the first stint.

The CEO of McLaren Racing Zak Brown is adamant that the drivers will be free to race and the rules haven't changed.

He said via PlanetF1: "They raced each other very hard [in Austria], very clean. I think that’s what everyone was looking forward to seeing – finally, that epic battle.

“Of course, anytime you have your two cars near each other, it’s a bit of a nail-biter, but I thought they did a great job and it was a great race and it was good to see.

“It’s the same rules,” Brown said after Canada. “Race each other hard, race each other clean, and try and get as many points on the board for the team. Then it’s up to them to decide who is in front of who.”