The dust may have settled on the opening day of the Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi, but the air is thick with tension, not just over the on-track battle for the Drivers’ Championship, but over an explosive revelation of internal politics within the very team leading the charge. While Lando Norris put on a masterclass of pace and consistency, the true drama unfolded off the asphalt, as McLaren CEO Zak Brown effectively confirmed that in the quest for a championship trophy, his team is prepared to sacrifice one driver for the other.
This weekend was always destined to be momentous. With Norris leading the championship standings against both Max Verstappen and his own teammate, Oscar Piastri, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Yet, the sessions painted a remarkably clear picture of one contender’s momentum. Lando Norris emerged as the most satisfied of the title rivals, topping both free practice sessions, demonstrating a car balance and outright speed that made him look like the natural favorite for the Grand Prix itself, irrespective of the title implications.
His performance was not just about raw speed. It was defined by an almost unsettling level of consistency, particularly during the crucial long-run simulations that mirror race conditions. While Max Verstappen’s early long-run laps looked competitive, his pace suffered significant degradation. Norris, by contrast, was described as banging in lap times—effortlessly, monstrously consistent—hitting a target time lap after lap. The McLaren machine, under the command of Norris, appears to be in a near-perfect operational window, leaving his rivals scrambling.
The two-time defending champion, Max Verstappen, was notably less optimistic, stating plainly, “We probably need to be a bit faster overall… there’s a decent gap we’ve got to close.” The Red Bull team seems to be struggling with their set-up, especially through the tricky, low-speed final sector of the Yas Marina circuit. Team advisor Helmut Marko confirmed the discomfort, stating, “We’re not in a very comfortable situation.” This struggle immediately puts Red Bull on the back foot, needing a significant overnight fix to challenge Norris’s clear superiority.
The other element of Red Bull’s strategy, a familiar tactic from their 2021 playbook, revolves around Yuki Tsunoda. There is an expectation that Red Bull may attempt to use Tsunoda as a ‘rear gunner,’ strategically leaving him out on hard tires to delay Norris after his pit stop, creating a buffer for Verstappen. However, on current pace, the viability of Tsunoda holding up Norris remains highly questionable.
The Piastri Predicament: A Day of Frustration and Data Deficits
While Norris soared, his teammate and title rival, Oscar Piastri, endured what can only be described as a difficult and deeply frustrating day. The Australian missed the entire first free practice session, yielding his seat to rookie Pato O’Ward as part of a pre-planned commitment. The optics alone were challenging: a championship contender forced to sit on the pit wall, missing vital track time on a deciding weekend.
The immediate consequences were palpable. Piastri was clearly off the pace, especially in the second session, where he finished substantially down on Norris. He struggled across all sectors and his efforts were hampered by a lock-up on a fresh set of soft tires. The lack of time in the car and corresponding lack of set-up data put Piastri at a clear disadvantage. While he acknowledged that the car was quick and he “need[s] to find [his] feet a bit more,” the timing of the missed session on a championship weekend is a crucial talking point—a decision he made some time ago, but one that may now haunt his bid.
The Team Orders Inferno: Zak Brown’s Stinging Admission
The atmosphere of suspicion surrounding Piastri’s day was further inflamed by the bombshell that dropped from the McLaren hierarchy. Earlier in the weekend, both Norris and Piastri had either downplayed or outright denied having internal discussions regarding team orders. Norris stated he wouldn’t ask for them, and Piastri said he hadn’t been asked.
However, Zak Brown shattered that narrative with a stinging, but brutally honest, admission. Brown stated clearly that team orders will be employed if necessary, saying, “If we get into the race and it is becoming pretty clear that one has a chance and the other doesn’t, we are going to do what we can to win the drivers’ championship. It would be crazy not to.”
The mathematical reality of the title race means this statement is aimed squarely at Piastri. With Norris holding a significant points advantage, there is virtually no scenario where Norris would be asked to yield to Piastri. Brown’s confirmation is, effectively, a public announcement that Piastri must be prepared to sacrifice his own race—and possibly his own chance at the title—for the benefit of his teammate.
While logically sound from a team perspective, securing the title at all costs, the emotional and psychological impact on Piastri is enormous. It formalizes a hierarchy at the critical moment of the season, demanding a rising star prioritize the glory of his counterpart.
The Deleted Data Sharing Scandal
Adding fuel to the fire of internal drama were circulating reports that McLaren had gone even further in their attempt to create a “fair” battle. An initial report claimed that for this weekend only, the team would cease sharing set-up data between the two sides of the garage, holding separate technical briefings.
This rumor was deeply controversial, as it would theoretically only favor Norris, who had the benefit of an entire extra practice session and a wealth of data that Piastri lacked. The timing—on the championship decider—was seen by some as a strategic advantage for Norris. However, the situation became murky when the original article was reportedly deleted, and a subsequent report quoted Piastri joking about putting a cardboard barrier up but confirming they are sharing data as normal.
Whether the sharing freeze was a temporary consideration, a rumor, or simply a miscommunication, the entire incident highlights the intense media and internal pressure on the McLaren team and showcases the volatility of the environment. McLaren also took the unusual step of preventing Piastri from speaking to certain media outlets, perhaps to avoid a constant barrage of team orders questions, but ironically generating even more intense speculation.
The Unpredictable Finale
Beyond the McLaren chaos, other factors play into the final result. Lewis Hamilton, in his last drive with the team he will leave, offered a darkly funny assessment of his time, saying, “Thank God I’m feeling thankful,” regarding his last drive in the challenging car. Ferrari, while trying out a potentially Hamilton-inspired new steering wheel, showed inconsistent long-run pace. Crucially, the Mercedes cars also lacked race pace, meaning if Norris were to qualify behind them, they wouldn’t pose a serious threat to his progress, which is another hidden benefit for the title leader.
Lando Norris comes into the final day of the season with a commanding on-track lead, appearing unflustered despite the immense pressure. A near-miss with Verstappen—a moment of impeding that stirred talk of mind games—was quickly dismissed as unintentional, yet it underscored the high-stakes friction between the championship rivals.
Ultimately, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is set to be a clash of raw pace versus sheer resolve. Norris holds the cards in terms of speed, while Verstappen and Red Bull have a history of pulling out miracle performances when it counts. Piastri, however, is now left navigating a battle on two fronts: the track, and the uncompromising political calculation of his own team. With the championship on the line, the McLaren civil war has officially broken out, promising a title decider full of tension and potential heartbreak.
