Max Verstappen sees a problem with ‘number one driver’ Piastri’s support role

The McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen isn’t worried about racing two McLarens both intent on winning the title for Lando Norris, but he can’t see Oscar Piastri accepting a “number two” role.

After Monza and its papaya rules, which saw Piastri deny Norris three vital World Championship points, McLaren announced ahead of Baku that those rules are out of the window, and Norris is their number one.

Max Verstappen: ‘I don’t think Oscar is the type of driver…’

Norris sits second in the Drivers’ Championship, 62 points behind Max Verstappen with Piastri a further 44 points down. The simple equation is it is the Briton who has the better chance of chasing down the Red Bull driver.

McLaren are therefore going to back him 100 per cent, which could include team orders for Piastri to move over.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown made that abundantly clear when he said “we’re gonna work as a team to see what we can do to help Lando.”

He did, however, offer the Australian a glimmer of hope as the Woking team will re-evaluate after “two races”, adding: “If in a couple of races Max has won and Lando got a DNF, then you know, we will go back to letting him go.”

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It was, according to team boss Andrea Stella, a “very collaborative” conversation even though Piastri admitted it would be “painful” giving up a race win.

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

Verstappen though, wonders how exactly this is going to work at McLaren.

“They [the team-mates] have never really been that far apart anyway, in the championship as well,” he said after news of McLaren’s number one ruling broke.

“And also, from Oscar’s side, you come in as a number one driver – both of them – I don’t think Oscar is the type of driver that needs to be labelled as number two anyway.”

McLaren’s decision to name Norris as their number one means Verstappen will now have to fight two McLarens that are both intent on scoring as many points as possible for the British driver.

Not only is Verstappen not worried, he again turned the spotlight onto the McLaren team-mates and Piastri’s position in all this.

“I’m not disappointed,” he insisted. “At the end of the day, they do what they want. It’s not my problem, and I have my own problems at the moment.

“Of course, from Oscar’s side, he’s closer to Lando than Lando is to me in the championship, but it’s something they have to deal with.”

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