Why Max Verstappen thinks Oscar Piastri should say “F off” if McLaren backs Lando Norris

McLaren will not ask Piastri to play the role of 'second driver', as Verstappen remains a threat in the 2025 F1 title battle

Max Verstappen reckons Oscar Piastri should have told McLaren to “F off” had he been asked to support team-mate Lando Norris in his bid to become Formula 1 world champion.

The 2025 season has featured a year-long title battle between the McLaren pair, in which for most of it Piastri held the upper hand, until a late-season collapse has made Norris the favourite.

Norris leads the championship by 24 points with two rounds remaining, so will clinch the title if he outscores Piastri by at least two points at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.

But he also needs to outscore Verstappen by at least two points, given the Red Bull driver has enjoyed a late resurgence and is now level with Piastri after winning in Las Vegas last time out.

The Las Vegas GP also featured a double McLaren disqualification and since then, there has been pressure on the British outfit to ask Piastri to support Norris to ensure Verstappen doesn’t become a larger threat.

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McLaren has denied it will do this though, which Verstappen reckons is helpful for his own bid to become a five-time champion while also saying it was the right thing to do for his rival team.

“It's perfect,” said the Dutchman in Qatar. “I think you can't do a better job than allowing them to race as well, because why would you suddenly now say that Oscar wouldn't be allowed anymore?

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

“If that was said to me I would have not rocked up. I would have told them to ‘F off’. So yeah, if you're a real winner in a race, as a driver, then you go for it - even if you're behind.

“What's the point otherwise to turning up? Otherwise you can easily just label yourself as a number two driver which I think he doesn't want to be. Then for me, I know that I'm equal on points with Oscar.

“Like I said before, a lot still needs to go right, but I think it should be like that, that they are free to race and hopefully we can make it a great battle until the end.”

Conversations about Verstappen becoming champion probably wouldn’t be taking place had Norris and Piastri respectively held onto second and fourth in Vegas, given the reigning champion would otherwise by 42 points off Norris at the top with a maximum of 58 points left to score.

But Verstappen is still in the fight and has confirmed his mindset hasn’t change, while also giving his opinion on the disqualification.

When asked where he was when he found out, he said: “I was flying home. I knew of course there was some kind of investigation going into the plank and when it's too low, it's too low.

Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

“There's so much that you can argue about that. Of course every team always runs it as low as they possibly can and sometimes you get it right. Sometimes it's a bit harder to measure, but there's no excuse. When you're too low, it's too low.

“Same with other rules in the sport, unfortunately it's like that. Of course the gap closed a bit with that but still 24 points.

“A lot needs to go well until the end to have a chance, but it's definitely a better chance than what it was before that.

“So we take it, but you need to also be aware that even if you win everything you still need a bit of luck. So we'll see how that goes. For us nothing changes. We go all in. We have nothing to lose.”