Watch: Max Verstappen gives a one-word response to questions about McLaren favoring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has come up with a one-word response on the prospect of McLaren favoring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri in the 2025 title fight. After 18 rounds, Piastri is leading by a margin of 22 points over Norris.

With only six rounds remaining in the 2025 Formula 1 season, the heat is well and truly on in the fierce drivers' championship tussle. Oscar Piastri is sitting on 336 points in comparison to Norris' 314 and Max Verstappen's 273.

Verstappen has performed extremely well in the last few races, courtesy of his own might and the consistent performance output of the RB21. Amid this, during the ongoing race weekend at the Circuit of the Americas (US GP), he was asked whether the Zak Brown-led team is favoring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri, and whether it is helping him in the championship.

In line with this, the four-time world champion has come up with a short but crisp response, and added:

"Absolutely." (Via ESPN F1)

During the Singapore Grand Prix, tempers flared when Lando Norris made contact with Oscar Piastri on the very first lap of the 62-lap race. Moreover, following the end of the Marina Bay Street Circuit race, reports emerged that there was a sense of favoritism toward Norris within the team.

The Brit has been driving for the papaya-colored team since 2019, whereas Oscar Piastri has been making his trade with the outfit since 2023.

"50/50": Max Verstappen on his 2025 F1 Championship prospects

As indicated earlier, Max Verstappen has an outside chance at the 2025 F1 drivers' championship. After the first 18 rounds, he has so far amassed four wins and nine podiums alongside 273 points.

With six races remaining, the 28-year-old was recently asked in COTA about his chances of victory and also about his title chances, and in line with this, he added:

"We’ll try, for sure. The last three weekends have been very nice – some a bit better than others. I still think that in Singapore we didn’t maximise the potential of the car, but you analyse everything and try to do better. That’s what we’ll try to do again here." Via F1.

"It’s 50/50. You either win it, or you don’t. I don’t really think about it.”

Max Verstappen has been single-handedly carrying the Red Bull Formula 1 team in the ongoing 2025 season. He has done the bulk of the scoring, with teammate Yuki Tsunoda massively struggling in the other challenger.

The on-track running in COTA is set to begin in a few hours, and with the event being run in a Sprint format, Free Practice 1 will be extremely important for Verstappen. After FP1, the second event on the schedule is the all-important Sprint Qualifying.