McLaren chief executive Zak Brown says the team will not hesitate to issue team orders if that’s what it takes to capture the Formula 1 drivers’ championship and prevent Red Bull’s Max Verstappen from securing a fifth consecutive crown.

Verstappen currently sits between the two McLaren drivers in the standings — 12 points behind leader Lando Norris and four ahead of Oscar Piastri — creating a tightly contested three-way battle as the season approaches its finale.

Norris was questioned on Thursday about the possibility of Piastri having to give up position for him at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He responded that he would not expect such help. Brown, however, made clear that the team’s priority is unmistakable.

“Absolutely,” he told Sky Sports. “We’re being realistic — our mission is to win the drivers’ title. If we reach a point in the race where one driver clearly has a shot and the other doesn’t, we’re going to do what’s needed. It would be crazy not to. We’re not going to lose a championship because we’re protecting lower positions.”

The title scenarios are straightforward: Norris becomes champion with a top-three finish, while Piastri must win or finish second to remain in the hunt.

Brown emphasised that Formula 1 has always been a team effort and that fan criticism would not change McLaren’s strategic goals. The team has already sealed the constructors’ championship for the second consecutive year, giving them one title in hand but hungry for the other.

“If one of them can’t win, they want the other to do it,” Brown said. “That’s what the team wants as well. They’re both team players — we saw that last year. In any sport, teammates sometimes need to make sacrifices to deliver the best result for the team.”