Qatar GP: Lando Norris explains decision to let Oscar Piastri win Sprint after late McLaren switch

Lando Norris has revealed he was told not to give up the Qatar GP Sprint win to Oscar Piastri after a last-second switch between the McLaren drivers.

Sprint pole-sitter Norris led every lap but slowed down after the last corner to let Piastri through, in return for the Australian giving up the Sprint victory in Brazil.

In Sao Paulo, Norris was still in contention to challenge for the Drivers' Championship against Max Verstappen.

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"It was probably a bit closer than what I was wanting, but I planned to do it since Brazil," said Norris.

"It's just what I thought was best. It's probably a little bit sketchy. The team told me not to do it but I thought I could get away with it, and we did.

"Honestly, I don't mind. I'm not here to win Sprint races, I'm here to win [Grand Prix] races - and a championship, but that's not gone to plan. But I did the best we could and I look forward to tomorrow."

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Only a few times in F1 history has a driver let their team-mate win on the last lap, with Rubens Barichello infamously letting Michael Schumacher by at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, and the German returning the favour later in the same year at Indianapolis.

Although McLaren discussed using DRS to help one another, Norris says he did not tell anyone apart from his engineer Will Joseph about his plans to give up the win to Piastri.

"It wasn't something that was really discussed, I didn't have to do it if I didn't want to," he said.

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"I told my engineer that I would do it, so he was the main one that probably knew about it. I told him before the race if we have a bit of a gap and we were first and second then I would try and do it.

"So he knew and he was telling me not to do it because the gap to George was probably a bit too fine for their liking, but Oscar did his part in helping me get closer to Max in the championship and give that opportunity a go.

"I deserved that right to have a chance and that's how we have to work as a team when one of us have that opportunity, and I returned that favour today."

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McLaren team principal Andrea Stella told Sky Sports F1: "We actually wanted to release the pressure on Lando by saying on the radio that we were happy to finish in this order, but Lando found the opportunity to return the favour.

"Once again, it shows the collaboration, the unity and cohesion which is a point of strength at McLaren in our quest in the championship."

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Norris also helped Piastri throughout the 19-lap Sprint by giving his McLaren team-mate DRS, often slowing down in the final sector, so that George Russell was unable to make a move on Piastri.

McLaren's one-two puts them 30 points ahead of Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship, and a lead of 45 points or more after Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix would secure that title.

"Considering we started first and third and didn't cruise away and have an easy race, there was quite a lot of me trying to help Oscar," Norris added to Sky Sports F1.

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"First of all into Turn One, to give George some dirty air on the inside and allow Oscar to have a crack on the outside and he did exactly that.

"That was a perfect start to the race. Afterwards, George probably seemed a bit quicker than both of us but I think we worked together as a team.

"That's the benefit of having two cars up there against just George was we could do exactly what we did. A well-executed race.

"I did my part by giving him DRS and helping him out, which makes my life a bit more stressful but our plan was a one-two and we would not have finished first and second if we didn't work together as a team."

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Piastri added: "It was a good show of teamwork, something we discussed before the race.

"I guess you can say the favour has been returned. Good race, good points. A bit tricky to keep George behind but a good race for the team."

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Sky Sports F1's live Qatar GP schedule

Sunday December 1
10.55am: F1 Academy Race Two
12.15pm: F2 Feature Race
2.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Qatar GP build-up
4pm: THE QATAR GRAND PRIX
6pm: Chequered Flag: Qatar GP reaction
7pm: Ted's Notebook

Formula 1's season-ending triple-header continues this weekend with the Qatar Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports F1. Get Sky Sports F1 or stream with NOW