Oscar Piastri starts from third as he fights Lando Norris and Max Verstappen for the world championship
Oscar Piastri’s title hopes sank further when he finished behind his two championship rivals in qualifying for the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi.
Max Verstappen’s sublime run to yet another pole ahead of Lando Norris kicked off a mass of speculation in the Yas Marina paddock about how McLaren’s title leader Norris might yet capitulate to the charging champion, who has promised to go “all-out” in his bid for victory and a remarkable fifth straight title.
Oscar Piastri speaks to the media after qualifying.Credit: Getty Images
McLaren was asked about potential “dirty tricks” from Red Bull’s ruthless Verstappen, who only last week was jovially labelled by McLaren boss Zak Brown as an indestructible “monster” who just won’t lie down and keeps coming back to haunt them.
Norris was ruling out nothing, while McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said he wasn’t worried and was confident there would be “interesting racing, but within the boundaries of sportsmanship and fairness”.
In all this, Piastri, four points behind Verstappen and 16 adrift of teammate Norris, was treated a little like the forgotten man, his third place on the grid giving him an even more difficult path to the title.
Max Verstappen is still every chance of beating both Lando Norris and Piastri to this year’s title.Credit: Getty Images
Even a victory might not be enough, with Norris needing to just finish in the top three to seal the title.
Yet Piastri, asked about the possibility of him having to accept McLaren’s team orders to help Norris, reminded everyone gently: “Until either Lando or Max cross the line in front of me, I’ve still got a chance of winning the title, so we’ll see how the race pans out.”
The key for him on a circuit where it’s not easy to overtake will come right at the start, and Piastri was asked whether he might be tempted to enjoy his third place and let the two favourites jostle, risking a potential collision.
“It could do,” he smiled wryly. “We’ll see. We’ll see how it gets played.”
AAP
