Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - November 30, 2024 McLaren's Oscar Piastri ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
DOHA (Reuters) -Lando Norris ignored team orders and gifted Oscar Piastri victory at the line in the Qatar Grand Prix sprint on Saturday as McLaren took another stride towards a first Formula One constructors' title in 26 years.
The team's lead over Ferrari, who had Carlos Sainz finish fourth and Charles Leclerc fifth, stretched to 30 points with 88 still to be won from Sunday's race and the final round in Abu Dhabi next weekend.
McLaren will win the championship under the Lusail floodlights on Sunday night if they score 15 points more than Ferrari -- the equivalent of another one-two.
George Russell was third for Mercedes in the 19 lap race with team mate Lewis Hamilton sixth, Nico Hulkenberg seventh for Haas and Red Bull's Max Verstappen taking the final point a week after securing his fourth successive drivers' title.
The risky swap at the chequered flag, despite the team telling Norris to hold position with Russell close behind, was pay back for Piastri who gifted Norris a sprint victory in Brazil.
The Briton was still fighting for the championship at the time but Verstappen ended that battle in Las Vegas last Saturday.
Just 1.3 seconds divided the top four at the finish, with Australian Piastri crossing the line a mere 0.136 ahead of his team mate to take his second successive Qatar sprint win.
"It was probably a bit closer than I was wanting but I planned to do it since Brazil," Norris said of the swap.
"It's just what I thought was best. It's probably a little bit sketchy. The team told me not to do it but I thought I could get away with it, and we did.
"Honestly, I don't mind. I'm not here to win sprint races, I'm here to win (grand prix) races and a championship, but that's not gone to plan."
The Briton led from pole position while Piastri passed Russell for second at turn two on the opening lap, a crucial move that then put him in a position to take the victory.
Norris kept Piastri in his slipstream, easing off to ensure the Australian stayed in DRS range to allow him to defend against Russell down the straight.
"It was about defence for the whole race," said the Australian. "I had a good start and good turn one but didn't quite have the pace. I think I killed the front (tyre) a bit early on.
"I was struggling a bit for the rest of the sprint but some great team work. Without that help, it would have been a much more difficult sprint."
Hamilton went from 10th on the grid to fifth, while Verstappen dropped to ninth, but Mercedes' seven times world champion was unable to keep Leclerc behind him with six laps to go after the earlier overtake.
Verstappen's team mate Sergio Perez started from the pitlane and the Mexican then suffered the indignity of being passed at the exit by Williams' Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)
