Oscar Piastri Takes Brazil Sprint Pole But Wary Of Team Orders For Lando Norris

Oscar Piastri grabbed pole position on Friday for the sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix and said he will race to win but conceded that team-mate Lando Norris has a greater need of points. The McLaren duo, boosted by an updated rear wing, locked out the front row of the grid to raise the possibility that team orders to help Norris's title bid may come into use. Speaking after Friday's sprint qualifying session at Interlagos, the modest Australian driver said he wanted to win Saturday's race, adding that anything might happen.

"I think first and second is the first objective and then we'll see what order it is. I know that I'm not in the running for the drivers' standings, for the team it doesn't matter which way round we are, so I know that's the case and we'll see," said Piastri.

"I've said I would (relinquish a victory) from when we first had these discussions.

"Lando needs the points in the drivers' standings a lot more than I do, but of course I still want to win. If I put in the effort and show good pace I'm sure that won't go unnoticed, but we'll see."

It was not a clear hint at the likelihood of team orders, but a realisation that if the McLaren duo, who exploited a performance boost given them by a new "scoop" rear wing, are running first and second in the final lap it may happen.

Noris is 47 points behind three-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull in the title race with four race weekends left this season.

Piastri said also that the newly-resurfaced track was so bumpy it created problems for the drivers.

"It was a tricky session," he said. "I felt pretty comfortable at the start and the grip was really coming up a lot during the session.

"But with the track this year being so bumpy, it's hard