Will McLaren prioritize Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri for the F1 Italian GP? Zak Brown addresses the question as title battle gets more tense

McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the front row for the Italian GP, with points leader Max Verstappen qualifying seventh. As the battle for the drivers' championship intensifies, Zak Brown addressed whether Oscar Piastri will help Lando Norris in the race.

With nine rounds remaining, Verstappen currently leads the drivers' standings by 70 points over Norris. The McLaren driver qualified on pole, six spots ahead of his title rival. If both drivers finish the race in those positions, Norris will cut the points deficit to 51, further intensifying the battle for the Drivers' championship.

After an impressive qualifying result for both McLaren drivers, team boss Zak Brown was asked whether Oscar Piastri would play second fiddle in the race to assist Lando Norris. Brown didn't give a definitive answer but hinted that the team is in contention for both titles. He added that an internal meeting with team principal Andrea Stella will help decide if Norris should be prioritized.

When asked if Norris will be prioritized over Piastri in the Italian GP, the 52-year-old team boss said (via Sky Sports F1):

"That is a discussion we will have with Andrea [Stella]. We have a Drivers' Championship, a Constructors' Championship and we will see how things play out and keep everyone on their toes."

The McLaren CEO mentioned that Piastri would be happy to take the supportive role, but no decision has been made. He added:

"Oscar has been very clear: he is happy to support the team. As is Lando, happy to support the team. We will have a conversation behind closed doors and will share that matter when we decide ourselves. It is a luxury to have."

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri share the front row, with the two Mercedes and the Ferraris separating them from Max Verstappen. It will be a huge swing in the Drivers' standings if the Red Bull driver doesn't finish better on Sunday.

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McLaren boss expecting an "epic battle" in the Italian GP

The qualifying session for the Italian GP witnessed a tight battle for pole position, with the top five drivers covered by less than 0.150 seconds. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri managed to beat their rivals to lock out the all-important front row.

McLaren boss Zak Brown expects a tight battle for victory on Sunday, with race pace simulations indicating the top four teams are very close to each other. Brown told Sky Sports F1:

"Awesome performance from Lando and Oscar. We have given them a fast car and they are getting the job done. We thought we had a shot at pole but it could have been a few cars with how close it is. I think we are going to see an epic battle tomorrow."

The Papaya squad could steal the lead in the Constructor's standings from Red Bull Racing if they manage to outscore them by 30 points, which seems feasible from their starting positions. The 53-lap Italian GP is scheduled for this Sunday, September 1, at 3:00 pm track time.