The 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ championship explodes into a rare three-way showdown in Abu Dhabi, with Lando Norris clinging to a 12-point lead over Max Verstappen and 16 over teammate Oscar Piastri. Verstappen’s Qatar victory kept his hopes of a fifth straight crown alive, but McLaren’s nightmare strategy gifted him the win and turned what should have been a procession into a nail-biting finale. Now the burning question is: if Verstappen is cruising to victory on Sunday and Norris is stuck behind Piastri or another car, will McLaren finally break its “no team orders” vow?
Team principal Andrea Stella has repeated all season that both drivers will race freely, insisting Piastri still has a mathematical shot and “deserves to realise his performance.” History shows third-place contenders have stolen titles before—Kimi Räikkönen in 2007 being the classic example. Yet the reality is brutal: if Verstappen wins and Norris finishes fourth or lower, the Dutchman takes the crown on race wins. A single swap—Piastri letting Norris past—could hand the Briton his maiden title and secure McLaren’s first drivers’ crown since 2008.
McLaren’s entire 2025 identity has been built on transparency and fairness, a stark contrast to the toxic 2007 season that cost them both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles amid Hamilton-Alonso civil war. Norris and Piastri have repeatedly said they’d rather lose to Verstappen than have the team pick a favourite. But in the white-hot pressure of a championship decider, ideals can crack. Ferrari 2007 swapped pit stops to gift Räikkönen the win over Massa; would McLaren really risk everything they’ve preached just to stay pure?
The numbers are merciless. If Piastri wins the race, Norris only needs fifth to clinch the title even if Verstappen is second. But if Verstappen is winning and Norris is fourth behind Piastri and, say, George Russell, the championship slips away unless Piastri moves over. Stella insists pre-race talks will cover every scenario, yet no one knows if Piastri would volunteer—or if McLaren would dare ask. One thing is certain: refusing to act could see Verstappen equal Schumacher’s five-in-a-row while McLaren’s “nice guy” philosophy is remembered as noble but naïve.
As the Yas Marina lights dim on Sunday, McLaren faces its toughest call in 17 years. Stick to the papaya rules and risk gifting Verstappen immortality, or finally play the ruthless game every champion team eventually plays? Whatever happens, the fallout will define Zak Brown, Andrea Stella, and the two drivers who’ve carried McLaren back to the top—whether they leave Abu Dhabi as champions or the team that let history slip through its fingers.
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