Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Lando Norris says he will not ask Oscar Piastri for title help

Piastri is now the outsider to secure his first drivers’ title, as the 24-year-old needs to take victory on Sunday and for Norris to finish sixth or lower.

“It’s not something we have discussed,” said Piastri, who was back on form in Qatar and should have won the race but ended up finishing second to Verstappen after a poor strategy call by McLaren.

“Until I know what’s kind of expected, I don’t really have an answer.”

However, Norris said if the roles were reversed and it was Piastri who was looking for help in the decider, he would be prepared to move aside and let his team-mate pass.

“Personally, I think I would, just because I feel I’m always like that. That’s just how I am,” he said.

Norris was 34 points behind Piastri following his retirement at the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August but podiums at Monza, Singapore and Austin, plus back-to-back victories in Mexico and Brazil, allowed him to regain control of the championship heading into the final few races.

He is aiming to become the 11th British F1 driver to be crowned world champion.

Norris originally finished second at the Las Vegas Grand Prix two weeks ago but a double disqualification for McLaren gave that day’s race winner Verstappen a lifeline back into the championship.