Oscar Piastri is back on the Grand Prix win, suggesting that teammate Lando Norris is on his way back Formula 1 title hopes have freed him to shoot for glory at McLaren.

Norris may remain the leading challenger to Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen, but the Dutchman will wrap up a fourth consecutive Las Vegas Grand Prix title on Sunday should he beat his pursuer.

And after his outstanding work in support of Norris in recent weeks, Australian ace Piastri has revealed he has been given the green light by the team to go for success on his own terms without being under team instructions to help maximize Briton Norris’ points-scoring opportunities .

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Instead of individual success now, the British team is concentrating on winning the constructors’ championship, as McLaren sit 36 ​​points ahead of Ferrari with three rounds remaining.

“There are still some, let’s say, very specific scenarios where I might need to help. But for the vast majority of situations, it’s back to how it was,” Piastri said in Las Vegas.

“The drivers’ championship picture is very thin, and the constructors’ championship is certainly not over for us.

“So there are some very specific scenarios that maybe I’ll still help if that’s what I’m asked to do, but I’m going into the weekend trying to win.”

Piastri has already won twice this season, his first in Hungary in July and in Azerbaijan in September, as he sits fourth in the overall standings with 262 points, behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (307), Norris (331) and Verstappen ( 393). .

Norris also reports that the team had always come first and that would not change.

“Everything we’ve done, we’ve just switched positions,” he said.

“It benefited me because I was in the fight for the championship and that’s the game we have to play as well, just like I’ve helped Oscar on a few occasions and helped him win in Baku. I did my job there.”

Piastri has already earned plenty of plaudits as the ideal team man after sacrificing victory in the sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

But of course he is happier not to be restrained by team orders.

“To be honest, I wasn’t too disappointed to give it up,” he said.

“I knew I did the right thing in the sprint, and that’s good for me. So I’m glad we don’t have to go into that kind of thing as much anymore.

“And obviously next year I want to make sure I’m not in a position, championship-wise, to be subject to that.”

Last year Piastri had a remarkable drive in Vegas, starting 18th on the grid before weaving his way through the field to finish in the points in 10th place.