McLaren team principal: We will 'bias our support' to Norris during title bid

McLaren will prioritize Lando Norris getting the most points possible for the remainder of the Formula 1 season and are asking teammate Oscar Piastri to comply.

"We (will) bias our support to Lando but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles," team principal Andrea Stella told BBC's Andrew Benson.

"Our principles are that the team interest always comes first. Sportsmanship for us is important in the overall way we go racing. And then we want to be fair to both drivers."

Norris enters the Azerbaijan Grand Prix sitting 62 points behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen for the lead in the driver's championship with eight races left on the 2024 calendar. Piastri sits in fourth position, 20 points behind Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and 44 points behind Norris.

Norris made up significant ground on reigning champion Verstappen in the driver's standings, as Red Bull struggled to keep the same pace as McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes in recent races.

Stella said Piastri bought into the idea, and conversations about the decision were "collaborative."

"Even when I said to Oscar: 'Would you be available to give up a victory?' He said: 'It's painful, but if it's the right thing to do now, I will do it,'" Stella said.

"Every driver is hard-wired to go for a victory. So I am always very impressed by the level of team spirit and maturity and collaboration that we found in this period."

Norris responded to Stella's comments by saying he wants to win the title by merit and not because of team orders.

"I don't want to be given a championship," Norris told Benson.

"Yes, it would be great to have a championship, and short term you feel amazing, but I don't think you'd be proud of that in the long run. It's not how I want to win a championship."

In addition to Norris seeking his first driver's title, McLaren is attempting to win its first constructor's championship since 1998. They head to Baku eight points behind Red Bull.