Zak Brown has “got no choice” after “frustration in Oscar Piastri’s camp”

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has been told he has “got no choice” with team orders decision-making between his drivers.

Oscar Piastri was left frustrated at the first race of 2025 on home soil in Australia when the onus was shifted to Lando Norris, who won the grand prix.

Piastri span out in Australia but responded by winning the F1 Chinese Grand Prix from pole position.

On both occasions, McLaren were spared a difficult call between two drivers who both wanted victory in the final laps.

But if their domination continues, Norris and Piastri’s competitive spirit must be managed.

“Zak is a disrupter. He will relish the battle between those guys,” F1 Nation host Tom Clarkson claimed.

“As long as the gap is big enough in the constructors’, he will let them get on with it.”

Alex Jacques said: “He’s got no choice. Try managing them - how’s that going to go down?

“We know an order has gone down badly.

“Unless in circumstances where it makes sense… Oscar has proven [in China] that he can stick ahead of Lando so it will be extremely difficult, given how closely matched they are.

“I know Lando had a brake problem but, for the first nine races of the year before we get to the flexi-wing change, it’s the McLaren show with Lando and Oscar.

“We have not seen the extent of it. I think they are up the road, at the moment.”

Clarkson added: “I thought it was significant that Zak was standing next to Oscar’s car. After the frustration from Oscar’s camp in Melbourne, he made a public show of support.

“But it’s the start of a juggling act he must manage.”

Piastri was signed up to a new McLaren contract which reportedly put him on level terms with Norris’ salary ahead of the 2025 F1 season.

They have each won one of the opening two grands prix. Norris leads the drivers’ standings and McLaren lead the constructors’.

How big is McLaren’s advantage?

McLaren established themselves as having F1’s fastest car at the midway point of 2024 and have hit the ground running this season.

Clarkson asked: “How big an advantage do we think McLaren have at this stage? I don’t think we have seen the extent of their advantage.

“Tyre wear is where they are brilliant. And the strength of the hard true [in China[ meant there was no managing from anyone.

“But the moment we go to a race track, like Suzuka, which is much more demanding on tyres, we will see the true extent of the advantage which I expect to grow.”

However, it was pointed out that Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull have also not yet shown their full performance.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton claimed pole, then won the sprint race, in China. Mercedes’ George Russell has been on the podium in Australia and China. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was on the podium in Australia.

“We haven’t seen the true extent of other teams yet,” Laura Winter said.

“We had a wet race in Melbourne with limited to no dry running. We then had a sprint weekend with one grand prix distance to understand a hard tyre on a track which demolishes the front-left.

“We now go to Suzuka, a different track entirely.

“Look back to last season - by Race 5, we’d written it off as Red Bull winning the constructors’ and Max Verstappen sailing away with the drivers’. But he didn’t go unchallenged.

“It’s really early doors to say ‘McLaren have won’.

“I know this is a year where car development is less, because of the nod to 2026 [the new F1 regulations]. But equally McLaren’s development will stop. There will be convergence.”