Despite McLaren urging his teammate Oscar Piastri to assist the British driver if needed, Lando Norris said he wants to strive to win the world title by merit.

Ahead of the crucial Azerbaijan Grand Prix, McLaren had taken a decisive step: they would focus their efforts on pushing Norris towards the world title, with Oscar Piastri, his rookie teammate, stepping back to support the team’s strategy.

Team principal Andrea Stella had been clear that McLaren would “bias” their operations toward Norris, yet they wanted to do so without compromising their integrity or sense of fairness.

For Norris, the prospect of team orders wasn’t something he took lightly. “I don’t want to be given a championship,” said Norris. “Yes, it would be great to have one, and in the 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.”

As Norris prepared to take on the streets of Baku, he sat 62 points behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the reigning champion. With eight races left, the gap felt vast, but not insurmountable. McLaren had clawed their way to just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ standings. But despite the team’s decision to back Norris, the British driver made it clear he wanted to win on merit.

“I want to win it by fighting against Max, beating my competitors and proving I’m the best on track,” he said. “That’s how I want to race.”

For Piastri, 23, the situation was delicate. The young Australian had shown incredible potential in his debut season, securing crucial points for McLaren. But as the team’s hopes shifted towards Norris, Piastri found himself in a supporting role—one he had agreed to, though not without some hesitation.

“The team have asked me to help out, and I’ve said for the last few races that if I was asked, then I would,” Piastri explained. “But naturally, as a driver, it’s never an easy thing or a simple thing to agree to.”

Piastri emphasised that while he was willing to aid McLaren’s push for the title, it wasn’t as simple as pulling over for Norris in every race. Both drivers stressed that the dynamic would remain fluid, with victories earned on merit rather than handed out.

“Oscar is still fighting for his own racing,” Norris pointed out. “He’s still going out and doing his stuff. It’s more that I’ve got Oscar’s help when needs be, but he’s still going out with that intent of fighting for himself.”

As they spoke, the specter of Monza loomed large. The Italian Grand Prix had seen McLaren’s strategy of letting their drivers race backfire when Piastri overtook Norris on the first lap, opening the door for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to swoop into second and eventually win. It was a stark reminder that their path to the top would not be easy.

For Max Verstappen, the pressure was mounting. After struggling in Monza, the Dutchman had seen his once-commanding lead waver, with no wins in six races. While he had taken seven victories this season, his recent form suggested cracks in Red Bull’s armour.

“Monza wasn’t good for us,” Verstappen admitted. “We’ve analysed a lot of things, and it’s time to try to be better. I hope we can shift in the right direction.”