McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes contact between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri sooner or later throughout the 2025 F1 season is “inevitable”.
The McLaren pair look like in a direct head-to-head battle for this yr’s F1 world championship after largely dominating the opening 4 races of the season.
Norris gained the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, whereas Piastri claimed spectacular victories in China and Bahrain to shut to inside three factors of his teammate within the drivers’ standings.
Up to now, Norris and Piastri have saved issues clear on observe. However talking forward of qualifying on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the place McLaren as soon as once more look like the group to beat, Brown admitted he’s anticipating a collision between his drivers.
“I believe it’s positively a matter of when, than if. You may have two racing drivers, whether or not in the identical group or totally different group, which might be subsequent to one another for twenty-four races, somebody’s going to lock a brake,” Brown advised Sky Sports activities F1.
“So, I’m sort of trying ahead to getting it over with as a result of I don’t suppose it’s going to be anyplace close to as thrilling as all people thinks. I believe it will likely be a racing incident when that day comes. I believe it’s inevitable.
“They’re two nice characters. Neither of them are hotheads, so we’re not apprehensive about it, and to a sure extent, sort of trying ahead to simply getting it out of the best way.”
McLaren praised for ‘papaya wrecks’ strategy
Brown’s strategy has been praised by Sky Sports activities F1’s Martin Brundle.
“It is extremely sensible what they’re doing,” Brundle mentioned.
“What Zak is saying there may be that ‘papaya guidelines’ will change into ‘papaya wrecks’ sooner or later. [He’s saying] ‘we have two extremely quick drivers with a possible championship-winning automobile and it may get tough sooner or later’.
“What that’s doing is managing down so the group would not go into meltdown, the drivers, the drivers’ entourages, and certainly the media.
“He what he is saying is ‘we all know it may occur, we’ll handle it when it does flip up, however do not all overact to it’.”
McLaren lead the constructors’ world championship by 58 factors as they appear to defend their title from 2024.
