Abu Dhabi GP: McLaren to carry talks with Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri over use of group orders at F1 2025 season finale

McLaren group principal Andrea Stella says talks will likely be held with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri over the opportunity of group orders on the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Norris leads the Drivers’ Championship by 12 factors from Max Verstappen however Piastri remains to be mathematically within the hunt, ought to his McLaren team-mate have a troublesome race on Sunday after the lights exit at 1pm, dwell on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event.

Should Norris end on the rostrum, he will likely be world champion it doesn’t matter what his two title rivals do, however there are situations the place he might have the assistance of Piastri, who could must play the group sport.

“I think whatever call we make in terms of using the collaboration of our drivers will have to follow some of our fundamental principles, which are foundational to our approach,” mentioned Stella.

“We need to be honest to our drivers, we need to race with integrity, and we need to race in a approach that does not shock our drivers.

“So, before Abu Dhabi, there will be further conversation with Lando and Oscar. We will confirm our racing approach, but certainly what I can say is that if any of the drivers is in condition to pursue the quest to win the title, then we will respect this.”

McLaren have refused to again one driver all through the season, with chief government Zak Brown saying final month he would somewhat lose the championship to Verstappen than favour one in all his drivers.

Stella confirmed it will stay the case for Abu Dhabi till there’s a state of affairs the place a driver wants to assist his team-mate, so the group can win the Drivers’ Championship.

“There will be no call which excludes the other driver when the other driver is in condition to win,” he mentioned.

“So, we will see what scenario will unfold, but definitely what I can say is that there will be conversations, and there will be a way of going racing which is united between the team and the drivers, like we have always done.”

Stella cautious of F1 historical past repeating itself

Stella has skilled either side of an F1 title decider after he was a efficiency engineer at Ferrari in 2007 when Kimi Raikkonen edged out the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso to win the title.

He was race engineer to Alonso at Ferrari in 2010 and 2012 when the Spaniard narrowly misplaced out to Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel on each events.

In 2007 and 2010, the third-placed driver within the standings heading into the final race gained the championship. Stella is cautious of this occurring once more, which is why he’s nonetheless backing Piastri, who’s the least more likely to be champion on Sunday at 16 factors behind Norris.

Stella mentioned: “We have seen before in the history of Formula 1 that when you have this kind of situation sometimes it’s the third one that actually wins. We have seen it I think in 2007, in 2010 and Oscar is fast, I think he deserves to be able to just realise his performance.

“We will let the drivers be in situation to race one another however above all what’s vital for us is that we’re in situation to beat Verstappen with one in all our two drivers.”

A victory for Verstappen in Abu Dhabi with Norris not on the rostrum would imply the Dutchman wins a fifth straight title, no matter what Piastri does, so Stella’s important goal is for the group to execute a clear weekend, having made a strategic blunder final Sunday in Qatar.

He defined: “The first element to focus on from a team point of view is make sure that we are in condition, prepared, determined to execute perfect race weekends, because the pace has been in the car, the drivers are doing an exceptionally good job but over the last couple of races from a team point of view we have not been in condition to capitalise on the good work of the drivers and the potential we have in the car.

“When it involves the truth that we’ve got two drivers within the quest for the World Championship, our philosophy and our strategy is not going to change.

“We will leave both Oscar and Lando the possibility to compete and pursue their aspiration. Oscar from a points point of view is definitely in condition to win the title.”

Sky Sports F1’s dwell Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Thursday December 4
11am: Drivers’ Press Conference
2pm: Paddock Uncut

Friday December 5
7am: F2 Practice
9am: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice One (session begins at 9.30am)*
10.55am: F2 Qualifying*
11.40am: Team Bosses’ Press Conference*
12.45pm: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice Two (session begins at 1pm)*
2.15pm: The F1 Show*

Saturday December 6
10.15am: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice Three (session begins at 11:30am)*
12.10pm: F2 Sprint*
1.15pm: Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying build-up*
2pm: ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING*
4pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*

Sunday December 7
9.10am: F2 Feature Race
11am: Grand Prix Sunday: Abu Dhabi GP build-up*
1pm: THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX*
3pm: Chequered Flag: Abu Dhabi GP response*
4pm: Ted’s Notebook

*additionally on Sky Sports Main Event

The 2025 F1 season concludes with the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix dwell on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime