Real reason why Oscar Piastri passed Lando Norris on final straight to win Qatar sprint as team orders ignored
The real reason why Oscar Piastri overtook Lando Norris to win the Qatar Grand Prix sprint on the final straight has been revealed.
Norris qualified on pole for the sprint and led the entire race, even slowing up to allow Piastri to receive DRS as he battled with cars behind.
The Brit looked set to win the race comfortably, but pulled over on the final straight and finished behind Piastri.
The scene may have looked slightly bizarre when it happened, with Piastri crossing the line first by a matter of tenths.
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But the real reason behind Norris' move has been revealed.
His decision to allow Piastri through relates to the Brazil Grand Prix sprint, when the Australia allowed his team-mate to pass for the win while he was still in a title battle with Max Verstappen.
With Verstappen now having won the championship, Norris made the call himself to let Piastri through in Qatar - but explained that he did so by defying his own team's orders on the radio.
He explained: "It was closer than what I was wanting, but I planned to do it since Brazil. It's what I thought was best.
"It was 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 races."
McLaren have now won the past two sprint races this season, with Verstappen winning the other four.
Verstappen could only finish in eighth place in Qatar driving an uncompetitive Red Bull, as he was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton from the start before two snaps of oversteer caused him to lose two more places.
He did fare better than team-mate Sergio Perez, who started from the pit lane and finished last after coming into the pits late on to change his front wing.
Topics: Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, Formula 1
Ryan Smart