McLaren team boss Andrea Stella insists there is "no reason" to start backing Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri, despite Max Verstappen's increasing threat ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix.

Norris had looked set to extend his lead at the top of the Drivers' Championship last weekend after a second-place finish in Las Vegas, but both he and Piastri were disqualified.

As such, the Brit holds a 24-point lead at the top of the standings, but Verstappen has closed the gap and now sits level on points with second-place Piastri.

There are just two races left – Abu Dhabi is serving as the season finale on December 7 – but this weekend also marks the final sprint of the year, with extra points available.

Verstappen, who has won each of the last four world titles, has been the in-form driver since returning from the summer break, and his resurgence has ensured that McLaren no longer have any real margin for error.

Earlier in the season, McLaren insisted they would not back one of their drivers over the other, with their 14 victories evenly split (both Norris and Piastri on seven).

Piastri's chances of clinching the title look slim, having failed to maintain his momentum after winning the Dutch Grand Prix in August, but while they are still alive, Stella sees no reason to back Norris over the Australian.

"There is no reason to do so," Stella said when asked if their tactics would change in a Q&A put out by McLaren.

Two GPs remain, Lusail next #McLaren | #QatarGP  pic.twitter.com/Zl5fqtwYWA

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) November 25, 2025

"We have always said that, as long as the maths does not say otherwise, we would leave it up to the two drivers to fight for their chance at the final victory, and that is how it will be in Qatar.

"Let's not forget that if someone had told us at the start of the season that we would find ourselves in this situation with two races to go, we would have signed up for it!

"Now we are going to fight for the double world championship with confidence and awareness of our strength."

Piastri is also on board with the team's stance, and when asked if he would help Norris fend off Verstappen, he said: "We've had a very brief discussion on it, and the answer is 'no'.

"I'm still equal on points with Max, and I've got a decent shot of still winning it if things go my way, and that's how we'll play it."

DRIVERS TO WATCH

Max Verstappen – Red Bull

Verstappen has won the last two editions and could achieve three wins in a single Grand Prix for the 10th time in the competition, more than any other driver in history. And, of the last 13 races held in the Middle East, Verstappen has won eight.

The Dutchman is the only driver on the grid to have finished on the podium in each of the eight Grand Prix races held since the summer break, starting in the Netherlands and ending in Las Vegas.

No driver has more wins (13), more pole positions (10), more podiums (18) and more points (138) than Verstappen in the sprints. However, he has only made it onto the podium in three of the last seven such races, after not missing out on any of the ten beforehand.

Lando Norris – McLaren

Both Norris and Piastri have won seven F1 races in 2025; only Lewis Hamilton has achieved more in a year without winning the title (twice): eight in 2021 and ten in 2016.

Norris has been on the podium 17 times in 2025. Only one driver has been on the podium more times in a single F1 season: Verstappen on two occasions (18 times in 2021 and 21 times in 2023).

He has also competed in 150 F1 Grands Prix, all with McLaren. In Qatar, the Englishman will surpass David Coulthard as the driver with the most races with the British team.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 390
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 366
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 366
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 294
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 226

Constructors'

1. McLaren – 756
2. Mercedes – 431
3. Red Bull – 391
4. Ferrari – 378
5. Williams – 121