Ahead of the penultimate Grand Prix of the season in Qatar, Australian Oscar Piastri admitted he still believed he had a chance to win the championship, despite being 24 points behind Norris and tied for second with the surging Max Verstappen.
When McLaren proposed that Piastri support Lando Norris, who leads by 24 points, in securing the title, he quickly rejected the idea.
“We’ve had a very brief discussion, and the answer is no,” he told the media in Qatar.
“I’m still equal on points with Max and have a decent shot at still winning it if things go my way.”
Piastri admits his title hopes depend on more than just his own performance but insists the opportunity is real enough to pursue.
The media then shifted their focus to reigning World Champion Max Verstappen, asking if he had any advice for Piastri.
Verstappen’s advice was characteristically blunt. He said Piastri “should tell McLaren officials to “f*** off”if they ask him to assist Lando in his championship pursuit.
Since his win in the Netherlands, Piastri has yet to finish ahead of either Norris or Verstappen in a grand prix or sprint race, sparking alarm about his form. Back then, he led the championship by 34 points.
However, with 58 points still available in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, anything is possible. Piastri is currently tied with Max Verstappen, both trailing leader Lando Norris by 24 points.
Despite the pressure, Piastri remains optimistic about his approach in Qatar and Abu Dhabi as he attempts to close the gap on Norris.
The Qatar Grand Prix main race starts at 3am (AEDT) on Monday morning.
