Norris wins Brazil GP Sprint under team orders, admits lack of pride

Lando Norris expressed mixed feelings after securing victory in Saturday's sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix, acknowledging he took no pride in the win following team orders that required teammate Oscar Piastri to relinquish the lead with two laps remaining.

McLaren's strategic decision aimed to bolster Norris's chances in his ongoing title fight with Max Verstappen. Piastri, who started from pole and led the first 21 laps, complied with the directive on lap 22 of 24.

"I'm not proud to win a race like I did today," said Norris. "We want to avoid it as much as we can, but at the same time, we sign up for this, we have to work together as a team. We get told what to do, we have a boss. We do the best we can to help each other out."

The swap was timely executed before a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed due to Nico Hulkenberg's Haas stopping trackside, which could have prohibited overtaking and altered the outcome. Norris concluded the race with eight points, while Verstappen, who finished third, pending investigation, scored six points.

Reflecting on the situation, Norris stated, "It was tough to do much earlier because the guys behind were pretty close. We planned it and we executed it well."

Norris's victory adds an intriguing twist to his title pursuit, though the method leaves much to be desired for the McLaren driver.

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