George Russell said it was “unacceptable and unreasonable” for Oscar Piastri to be asked to help McLaren teammate Lando Norris win the world championship at the final race of the F1 season in Abu Dhabi.
Norris leads Red Bull’s Max Verstappen with 12 points, with Piastri heading into the final a further four points behind, meaning all three can still claim the title.
For Sunday’s race, the most likely scenario would be for Verstappen to take the lead, which would all but annihilate Piastri’s own championship hopes, but if Piastri were running behind him on track, he might be able to let his teammate through and help Norris win the title.
For much of the season, the title race looked like a battle between Piastri and Norris, but Verstappen returned to contention after the summer break.
Mercedes’ Russell, who sits fourth in the championship and is the only non-title contender to win a race this season, said: “I don’t think it’s acceptable or reasonable to ask a driver who could be aiming for the championship in his last race to move on instead of his teammate.”
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On the Sky Sports F1 Show podcast, panel discusses whether McLaren should implement team orders at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
“If that’s the case, in other seasons that have gone by, for example with Czech (Sergio Perez) and Max, or (Rubens) Barrichello and (Michael) Schumacher, if one driver was clearly the one aiming for the championship and in the last race they were replaced by a driver who had no chance of winning the championship, it would be perfectly reasonable and I think any driver would do that.
“But for me, I don’t think that’s fair at all. I think they both need to be given a chance. And if they lose because of that, you can just say the other player did a better job, and that’s the race.”
“That’s how it should be.”
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The F1 grid will have a say on who wins the drivers’ championship.
Hamilton: “It’s much easier to be the hunter than the hunted.”
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who lost to Verstappen in a memorable battle for the 2021 title, said Norris was in the difficult position of being “hounded” as a driver.
“It’s always a lot easier to be a hunter. It’s a lot easier to be a hunter,” said the Ferrari driver.
“It’s much, much harder when you’re playing defense, it’s much harder to hold on as opposed to if you’re out front on the track and someone catches you and someone catches you, and you can always reference them.
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Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen reveal which moments during the season they think could cost them the world championship title
“It’s the same thing when you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. When you have everything to lose and nothing to gain except to maintain your position. So the situation is very different.”
Asked if he had any advice for his compatriot Norris, Hamilton replied: “I don’t give advice to anyone. They’re my competitors. I’d probably complain to them.”
“I’m not rooting for anyone but myself and this team.”
‘We’re trying to put pressure on’ – Alonso expects mind games
Another former world champion on the current grid, Fernando Alonso, explained the kind of psychological battles title contenders can expect to play this weekend.
“There’s always a little game,” Alonso said.
“When you see your opponent on the course in the first practice, the second practice, today’s media comments, you try to put pressure on the other side.
“We met at the driver’s briefing and all three of us certainly had different body language.”
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Max Verstappen’s last title fight returns in 2021 against Lewis Hamilton, and relive one of the most incredible finishes in F1 history, when Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the final lap to claim his first world title.
Perhaps the most obvious battle of wits unfolded late in the season, with Verstappen claiming he could have “easily” won the title by now if he had driven a McLaren, a claim Norris dismissed as “nonsense”.
Alonso said of the debate: “No one knows.” “That’s always a guess and difficult to answer.
“I think we all know that Max is a great driver and he’s getting the most out of the car and some of the races he’s won this year, but maybe it wasn’t really up to the car, it was up to him. And that was the case last year as well.”
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McLaren duo reveal what would happen if they were asked to pass Lando Norris so Oscar Piastri could win the world championship
“But you never know. In my case, everyone will say that we can win the championship with the best car. We all have that confidence.”
The Spaniard, who won the championship twice in 2005 and 2006, gave a cheeky reply when asked if it was possible that the best driver on the grid might not win the title this year.
“This kind of thing has been going on for the past 19 years,” he said. “Then it will be the 20th.”
Live Abu Dhabi GP Schedule on Sky Sports F1
Friday, December 5th
7am: F2 practice
9:00am: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice 1 (Session starts at 9:30am)*
10:55am: F2 Qualifying*
11.40am: Team boss press conference*
12:45pm: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice 2 (Session starts at 1pm)*
2:15pm: F1 Show*
Saturday, December 6th
10:15am: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice 3 (Session starts at 11:30am)*
12:10pm: F2 Sprint*
1:15pm: Abu Dhabi GP qualifying build-up*
2pm: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying*
4pm: Ted’s Qualification Notes*
Sunday, December 7th
9:10am: F2 Feature Race
11am: Grand Prix Sunday: Abu Dhabi GP Build-up*
1pm: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix*
3pm: Checkered flag: Abu Dhabi GP reaction*
4pm: Ted’s Notes
*Also held at Sky Sports Main Event
The 2025 F1 season concludes with the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports now – cancel anytime with no contract
