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Oscar Piastri has clarified that he will not automatically defer to his McLaren teammate Lando Norris in every remaining race of the 2023 Formula 1 season, despite the team's decision to implement team orders in support of Norris's title bid.Speaking to reporters ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Piastri acknowledged the principle of assisting Norris to bolster both his and the team's standings. However, he emphasized that he would retain the freedom to compete against Norris in certain races and circumstances."It's not going to be a case of me pulling over for Lando at every single race," Piastri stated. "That's not how any of us, including Lando, want to go racing."Piastri explained that the team would need to carefully consider each scenario and reward the driver who had performed better on a given weekend. He stressed that the team's goal was not to simply prioritize Norris in every decision but to maintain a balance that would benefit both drivers and the team as a whole."We're not leading the constructors' championship, so we need to make sure we win that," Piastri said. "It's important we maintain that kind of trust."McLaren team principal Andrea Stella had previously announced that the team would employ team orders in specific situations to support Norris's pursuit of the drivers' championship. Norris currently trails reigning champion Max Verstappen by 62 points.Piastri acknowledged that team orders could be challenging for drivers, but he recognized the broader context and the team's objectives."I race for a team that's given me my opportunity in F1 and a team that has given me the opportunity to win races within 18 months of being here," Piastri said. "I have a lot of gratitude for that. The bigger picture is about more than just me."Piastri emphasized the team's goal of winning both the drivers' and constructors' championships, acknowledging that such an achievement would be a significant milestone for McLaren.

Charles Leclerc's triumph at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday marked a resounding victory for Ferrari and a significant moment in the Formula One championship race. The Monegasque driver's second win of the season, following his victory in Monaco, ignited the cheers of the passionate Ferrari faithful at Monza.Leclerc's victory was hard-fought, as he held off a determined challenge from McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The race was marked by strategic pit stops, with Leclerc opting for a single stop while his rivals pitted twice. Leclerc's ability to maintain his tire performance proved crucial, allowing him to stay ahead and secure a comfortable victory.Piastri, who had taken the lead early in the race, expressed disappointment with his second-place finish. However, Norris's third-place result was a positive step for McLaren, as he reduced Max Verstappen's championship lead to 62 points.Verstappen's struggles continued at Monza, as he finished a distant sixth, nearly 38 seconds behind Leclerc. The Dutch driver's recent poor form has raised questions about Red Bull's dominance in F1. McLaren, on the other hand, is now only eight points behind Red Bull in the constructor's standings and is a strong contender for the title.In other news, Franco Colapinto made an impressive debut for Williams, finishing 12th in his first F1 race. Leonardo Fornaroli became the first Italian to win the F3 title, while Gabriel Bortoleto won the F2 race in dramatic fashion.

McLaren's Lando Norris emerged victorious at the Dutch Grand Prix, delivering a stunning performance that shattered Max Verstappen's undefeated streak at his home circuit. The British driver secured his second career victory, closing the gap on Verstappen in the world championship standings.Norris's triumph was a testament to the recent upgrades made to the McLaren, which proved to be the dominant force throughout the race weekend. Despite Verstappen's strong start, Norris gradually chipped away at his lead, overtaking him on lap 18.Verstappen's Red Bull struggled to match the pace of the McLaren, with the Dutchman complaining of a lack of grip from his tires. Norris capitalized on this weakness, extending his advantage to over 10 seconds by lap 40.The McLaren driver maintained his composure, producing the fastest lap of the race on his new set of tires. He eventually crossed the finish line with a comfortable margin of victory, leaving Verstappen to settle for second place.Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed the third podium spot after a thrilling battle with Norris's teammate, Oscar Piastri. Red Bull's Sergio Perez finished sixth, further narrowing the gap in the constructors' championship.Norris's victory marks a significant shift in the Formula One landscape. The McLaren has emerged as a serious contender, challenging Red Bull's dominance. Verstappen's longest winless streak since 2020 has raised concerns within the Red Bull camp.As the F1 circus moves to Monza next weekend, the pressure will be on Verstappen to regain his winning form. Norris and the McLaren team will be eager to continue their momentum and challenge for the championship title.

Britain's Lando Norris emerged victorious in the first practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix, outpacing home favorite Max Verstappen amidst unpredictable weather conditions at the Zandvoort circuit.The session witnessed a rollercoaster of weather, with torrential rain alternating with bright sunshine, posing a significant challenge for tire and racing strategies. On a thrilling final lap, Verstappen initially claimed the fastest time in his Red Bull, but Norris swiftly regained the advantage with a blistering 1:12.322 lap.Verstappen trailed by a mere 0.201 seconds, while Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes settled for third, 0.483 seconds behind the Dutchman. The wet track proved treacherous, with Verstappen himself experiencing a spin-out as he attempted to secure the fastest lap.As the clouds parted and the sun emerged, lap times accelerated, with the lead changing hands multiple times throughout the hour-long practice. Local hero Verstappen, who has an unblemished record at his "home" Grand Prix since its reintroduction in 2021, endured a challenging session.Despite a strong start to the season, Verstappen has faced a recent slump, failing to win any of the last four Grands Prix. This has given hope to the chasing pack, including Norris, who trails Verstappen by 78 points in the drivers' championship.Norris remains optimistic about his chances of catching Verstappen, but acknowledges the magnitude of the task. "It's a lot of points and it's against Max, so I want to be optimistic and say there's still chances, I know it's a lot and it's going to be a very difficult challenge."

Oscar Piastri's maiden Formula One victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix was a culmination of a thrilling and controversial race. The McLaren driver emerged victorious ahead of teammate Lando Norris, marking the team's first one-two finish since 2012.The race was marred by numerous incidents and radio exchanges that added to the drama. Piastri's victory was secured after a late collision with Max Verstappen, who recovered to finish fifth. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton claimed his 200th podium finish with a third-place result.Piastri's triumph was not without its challenges. He survived a tense start, where he emerged in the lead after a three-way battle with Norris and Verstappen. The Dutchman's aggressive driving prompted a heated exchange with his race engineer, who ordered him to allow Norris to pass.As the race progressed, Piastri maintained his lead, while Norris struggled to keep pace. Verstappen, on fresher tires, closed in on Hamilton but was unable to overtake him. Norris eventually pitted for mediums, rejoining ahead of Hamilton but behind Piastri.With just five laps remaining, McLaren issued an ultimatum to Norris, reminding him of his team responsibilities. Norris, who had been reluctant to let Piastri pass, finally relented, handing the Australian the lead.Piastri's victory was a testament to his skill and determination. The 23-year-old Australian has quickly established himself as a rising star in Formula One, and his maiden win is a significant milestone in his career.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a historic front-row lockout for McLaren at the Hungarian Grand Prix, marking the team's first such feat since 2012. Norris claimed pole position with a blistering lap of 1:15.227, edging out his teammate by a mere 0.022 seconds.Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, had to settle for third place, despite a valiant effort in the tense wet-dry qualifying session. The Dutchman was just three-hundredths of a second behind Norris, while Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five.Charles Leclerc, in the second Ferrari, qualified sixth, ahead of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin. Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, both driving for Red Bull, secured ninth and tenth positions, respectively.Norris's pole position was his second in four races and the third of his career. The 24-year-old Briton is eager to challenge Verstappen for the championship title and believes this pole position is a step in the right direction."I'm very happy with that," said Norris. "It wasn't easy at all in difficult conditions, so ending up on top is the best for us all and a great result for the team."Piastri, who is making his Formula 1 debut this season, was thrilled with his second-place finish. "It's the first 1-2 for McLaren for a long time and an amazing result for us," he said.Verstappen acknowledged the challenge he faced in qualifying. "I tried," he said. "We have been behind the whole weekend and I tried to make it as close as possible, but it wasn't enough."The qualifying session began in cooler weather with light rain falling. McLaren's Norris and Piastri were among the first to take to the track on soft slick tires. Sergio Perez of Red Bull suffered a setback when he crashed into the wall at Turn Eight, resulting in a red-flag stoppage.After a brief delay, the action resumed with Perez hanging on in ninth position. However, he ultimately failed to advance to Q2, marking his fourth Q1 exit in six outings. George Russell of Mercedes also struggled in Q1, finishing 17th and out.In Q2, Sainz initially set the pace, but Hamilton and Verstappen soon took over. Norris eventually claimed the top spot with a lap time of 1:15.540. Hamilton struggled to survive in 10th, while Nico Hulkenberg of Haas, Valtteri Bottas of Sauber, Alex Albon of Williams, Logan Sargeant, and Kevin Magnussen missed the cut to the top-ten shootout.In the final Q3 session, Norris and Verstappen battled for pole position. Norris ultimately prevailed with a lap time of 1:15.227, despite rain beginning to fall. Tsunoda crashed at Turn Five, prompting a red-flag stoppage. The session resumed with limited time remaining, but only Ricciardo improved his time to take ninth from his teammate.

McLaren's Lando Norris stunned the field by outpacing reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull to top the times in Friday's second free practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix.Norris, who trails Verstappen by 84 points in the drivers' standings, clocked a blistering time of 1:17.788 to edge out his rival by 0.243 seconds. The Briton's performance was a testament to McLaren's progress this season, as they continue to challenge the established order.Ferrari's Carlos Sainz finished third, just one-tenth behind Norris, while Sergio Perez recovered from a slow start to take fourth for Red Bull. George Russell of Mercedes and Haas's Kevin Magnussen rounded out the top six.Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, aiming for a record-extending ninth Hungarian victory, could only manage seventh, ahead of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, Williams' Alex Albon, and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.The session began with Nico Hulkenberg setting the early pace for Haas, but it was Perez who emerged as the initial frontrunner for Red Bull. Verstappen, however, encountered brake issues and struggled to match his teammate's pace.Ferrari's Charles Leclerc suffered a setback when he lost control and crashed into the barriers at Turn Four, damaging his car and the advertising hoardings. The incident brought out the red flag for 14 minutes.Mercedes also faced challenges, with technology problems stemming from a global IT glitch affecting their pit-wall operations. Russell and Hamilton were forced to work with blank screens during the opening practice session.Despite the setbacks, the session showcased the competitiveness of the field, with eight different teams represented in the top ten. The close margins suggest a thrilling race is in prospect for Sunday.

George Russell's dominance in Formula 1 continued at the British Grand Prix, as he secured his second pole position in four races. The Mercedes driver outpaced his teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.171 seconds, with McLaren's Lando Norris completing an all-British top three.Russell's success was largely attributed to the wet weather conditions during qualifying. The Mercedes car has consistently performed well in cooler temperatures, as evidenced by Russell's pole position at the Canadian GP. The wet-to-dry qualifying session at Silverstone provided the ideal conditions for the Mercedes to excel on the soft tire runs.Max Verstappen, the championship leader, had a disappointing qualifying session by his standards. He went off into the gravel in Q1, potentially damaging his car's downforce. This incident hindered his performance throughout qualifying, leaving him in fourth place.With rain expected on Sunday, Russell is well-positioned to secure his second consecutive win after his victory at the Austrian GP. However, Hamilton, an eight-time winner at Silverstone, will be a formidable challenger. Norris, in the McLaren, has also shown impressive pace in recent races and could pose a threat to the Mercedes duo.Ferrari's struggles continued at Silverstone, with Nico Hulkenberg in the Haas outqualifying Carlos Sainz. Charles Leclerc failed to make it to Q3, further highlighting Ferrari's decline in performance. Lance Stroll also outqualified Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin team.Sergio Perez had a disastrous qualifying session, crashing into the gravel in Q1. This marked another Q1 elimination for the Mexican driver.

Lando Norris, the McLaren driver, is determined to challenge Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula One world champion, at the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. Norris has been in impressive form lately, with two consecutive second-place finishes behind Verstappen. He believes he has the car and the confidence to challenge for the win this weekend.Norris has been frustrated by his own errors in recent races, but he is confident that he can improve and put together a winning sequence. "We're on a roll and we're doing well," said Norris. "I need to tidy up a few little bits and pieces and we'll be on top. I am confident."Verstappen will be the favorite this weekend, as he is the defending champion and has a strong record at the Red Bull Ring. However, Norris is confident that he can challenge Verstappen and potentially win the race. "Every weekend we go into now, the car is performing extremely well and we're always there, or thereabouts, within a couple of tenths," said Norris.Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is expecting a difficult weekend, as he believes that McLaren and Ferrari will be strong challengers. "On such a short lap, it's going to be tight and we expect McLaren, and Lando, to be fast again along with Ferrari and Mercedes," said Horner.Mercedes will also be hoping to stay in contention this weekend, as they have shown signs of improvement in recent races. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is buoyed by his first podium of the season, while teammate George Russell believes that the Silver Arrows have rediscovered their form."We're all feeling excited for the remainder of the season," said Russell. "We've got more wind tunnel time than all of our rivals and we know what we need to do to make these big strides now. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but I'm 100 per cent confident we'll win races this year now."Whatever the outcome this weekend, Verstappen will extend his record for leading the championship to 50 races. It is a welcome certainty in the light of last year's chaos when the result was revised five hours after the event following a spate of penalties for drivers' exceeding track limits.