McLaren is keeping score on upgrades amid Oscar Piastri-Lando Norris F1 title fight

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has discussed how the Woking outfit is managing the intense drivers' championship battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The American confirmed that in order to avoid a conflict between the two drivers, they retain full transparency and ensure that upgrades are equally shared.

Norris and Piastri's championship battle has, so far, only resulted in one race-ending crash when the former went for a gap that wasn't there during the Canadian Grand Prix, forcing him to retire from the race. Aside from that, the pair has managed to keep it relatively clean on-track while still racing.

“It's all about transparency, being fair, being equitable," he explained on How Leaders Lead with David Novak. "When we have upgrades on the car and we can only give it to one driver for a race because two aren't ready, we tell them why. We don't let them find out by reading, 'Oh, he's got a new front wing, I don't.'

"So we give them the rationale. We keep scores. 'Hey, next time we get a new development.' Or we are in a position where one driver gets the benefit, the other can't, we keep score.”

At the point of the Formula 1 summer break, there are just nine points separating the McLaren drivers, with Oscar Piastri leading the standings with 284 points. Brown is confident that the intense on-track rivalry won't result in any tension off-track.

“They are good guys,” Brown added. “We are very fortunate. We definitely have the best driver line-up which has been proven now that they are not only two of the fastest drivers in the world, the two are really good guys, they are very competitive, they are very respectful.

Zak Brown, McLaren

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

“They have been brought up well. So hats off to the parents, most things go back to the parents at some point for all of us. And so just keeping them close, having fun, making sure issues [are resolved]. 

“I've seen drivers go at it in the past. So I think we have a good sense of when there is a little bit of tension in the room. I really say there hasn't been [any tension]. And it's going to get tougher because it looks like our two guys are going to fight it out for the championship and the others aren't far away, so I don't think it's just the two of them. 

“But if everything goes according to them it will be [just the two of them]. They usually end in tears, but it's not with us and we are not afraid of it. We talk about it. It's not the elephant in the room.”