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Oscar Piastri, the McLaren driver, secured pole position for the sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Friday. Despite his desire to win, Piastri acknowledged that his teammate Lando Norris has a greater need for points in the drivers' standings.The McLaren duo, aided by an updated rear wing, dominated the front row of the grid, raising the possibility of team orders to assist Norris's title bid. Piastri expressed his willingness to relinquish a victory if necessary, recognizing Norris's higher priority in the championship race.However, Piastri emphasized his determination to win the sprint race, stating that anything could happen. He acknowledged that McLaren's performance boost from the new rear wing had given them an advantage.The newly resurfaced track at Interlagos proved to be challenging for the drivers due to its bumpy surface. Piastri described it as "hard enough to see where you're going, let alone try to do a fast lap."Norris expressed surprise at the speed of his car, admitting that he had made mistakes on his final lap. He declined to discuss his prospects of closing in on Max Verstappen in the title race, stating that he was focused on his own performance.Verstappen, who will face a five-place grid penalty in Sunday's Grand Prix for taking a new engine, qualified fourth behind the McLaren duo and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. He attributed his performance to the car's difficulty on the bumpy track.Alex Albon finished ninth for Williams, while Oliver Bearman impressed in place of Kevin Magnussen for Haas.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri emerged victorious in a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday, holding off pole-sitter Charles Leclerc's Ferrari to secure his second career win. The Australian driver's triumph marked a significant moment for McLaren, as they overtook Red Bull in the constructor's championship title race.Piastri's victory was hard-fought, as he engaged in a fierce battle with Leclerc throughout the race. After Leclerc held the lead for the first 20 laps, Piastri seized the opportunity to overtake him and maintain his position until the checkered flag.Behind the top two, Mercedes' George Russell secured a podium finish in third place, while Piastri's teammate Lando Norris finished fourth. Norris's performance was particularly impressive, as he earned an extra point for setting the fastest lap of the race.The race was not without its drama, as a late collision between Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Sergio Perez (Red Bull) forced the race to end under a virtual safety car. The incident prevented any further changes in the standings, leaving Piastri as the victor.Piastri's win has significantly impacted the championship standings. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who has not won in seven races, still leads the drivers' standings with 313 points. However, Norris's strong performance has reduced Verstappen's lead to 59 points with seven races and three sprints remaining.In the constructor's championship, McLaren's victory has propelled them ahead of Red Bull. McLaren now holds 394 points, while Red Bull has 389 points. The battle for the title is expected to remain intense in the upcoming races.

McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri faced a disappointing Friday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Norris struggling to 17th place and Piastri finishing fifth in second free practice. The team found themselves well off the pace set by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who topped the timesheets ahead of Red Bull's Sergio Perez.Norris admitted that McLaren had a lot of work to do overnight to find a solution to their performance deficit. "We're quite a long way off," he said. "I'm having to push way too much to try and get a lap time."Norris acknowledged that Piastri's performance was more representative of McLaren's true pace, but he remained optimistic that the team could improve. "I think if we nail it, we're just about there," he said. "But I'm sure they're not even close to nailing it yet."Norris dismissed an incident with Alpine's Pierre Gasly as a factor in his poor showing. "It's just that here, you don't deploy the power until very late so he's clearly misjudged it," he said. "It didn't matter. I'd done my lap already."McLaren had announced their intention to introduce team orders to support Norris's title bid, but the driver emphasized that he did not want to rely on others. "I don't want to be in a position where I'm relying on someone else to do something for me," he said.Assessing the team's pace, Norris identified Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull as the frontrunners. "There's a good three or four-tenths gap back to us," he said. "So, we have a lot of work to do."Piastri, who had a more positive day, said that it was difficult to gauge McLaren's true pace due to the evolving track conditions. "Ferrari look strong and Red Bull are quick," he said. "But our long runs look competitive."

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.

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."

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.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen emerged victorious in the Sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday, outpacing the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Verstappen maintained his lead from the start, but Norris briefly overtook him with a bold move on Lap 5. However, Verstappen swiftly regained the position, allowing Piastri to pass Norris.Behind the top three, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton sandwiched Carlos Sainz, followed by Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez. Sainz made a decisive move on Russell at Turn 4, while Hamilton held off Leclerc, Perez, Kevin Magnussen, and Lance Stroll.Norris, determined to challenge Verstappen, closed in on the Red Bull and overtook him at Turn 3. But Verstappen responded with a lunge at Turn 4, where Norris' exit was compromised, allowing Piastri to slip past.Verstappen commented on his performance, stating, "It was a good first lap, but once the DRS opens, it's hard to get out of it. A few exciting battles, but once we cleared the DRS, I could do a bit more of my own race."He acknowledged the challenge posed by McLaren, saying, "They have two cars pushing flat-out. We had to work for it. A few things to think about where we could do better, especially for tomorrow."The Sprint race sets the grid for Sunday's main event, where Verstappen will aim to extend his championship lead. The longer race distance and tire wear will present additional challenges, making the outcome unpredictable.

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.