Lando Norris, McLaren Formula 1 driver, does not see a reason for the team to prefer him over his team mate for world championship title.
He believes it is unlikely and unreasonable to promote him over his team mate to fight Max Verstappen at the drivers’ championship title.
The British driver his tailing the championship title with 199 points to himself, while Verstappen enjoys a margin of 78 points. The McLaren have an additional benefit to themselves, i.e. the most consistent fast car on F1 track this season.
However, the team orders in Hungary Grand Prix stir a controversy where Norris switched positions with Oscar Piastri. It prompted suggestion for the team to prioritize the British driver for the championship.
Verstappen enjoys a great margin for the championship title and McLaren requires to close the gap. It have little margin to compromise its chances of either championship title.
But Norris believes otherwise and he support the current approach of the team, which is equal opportunity for both drivers.
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He said: “I still need to earn it, I still need to go out there and drive quicker than everyone. I don’t think that changes anything.
“I don’t know why it is now the point, all of a sudden, where you would have a bias over one? We’ve never had the bias in the team.”
Despite the gap growing with each race, Norris still believes that the team still have the time.
“Why now all of a sudden do I have a chance?” he said. “I’ve had a chance the whole season and we’re only halfway through. We’ve got a hell of a long way to go. So maybe a little bit further down the line [the approach can change], but that time is to be decided.”
Norris dismisses speculations and claims the switch helped secured top two positions for the tema.
“I shouldn’t have led the race and people should never have then had the perception the team is not biased towards Lando,” he said.
“If Oscar was leading the whole race there’s absolutely zero reason why they should ask him to suddenly let me pass, if you’re thinking of it from a championship point of view.”
Piastri also supported his team mate claims. He said: “We’re still very early in the season and I’m a long way behind in the driver’s standings. But I’m also not out of it.”
