McLaren told Lando Norris several times not to hand Oscar Piastri a payback Qatar Grand Prix sprint race win because it was concerned about the threat from Mercedes’ George Russell.
Norris said after he finished second in the first, shorter contest of the weekend at the Losail circuit that he had been planning to give Piastri the sprint victory if the chance arose as a thank you for the Australian doing likewise to boost his failed championship challenge to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at Interlagos.
