Promising Greek Australian Formula 1 Academy driver Aiva Anagnostiadis has called on McLaren to allow Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to race freely in this Sunday’s decisive Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which will determine the 2025 F1 World Drivers’ Championship in a rare three-way shoot-out.
Speaking on the Ouzo Talk podcast, Anagnostiadis – who grew up racing at the same Melbourne karting track as Piastri – said she hopes team orders will not interfere with Piastri’s title chances.
“I just hope the team can get their stuff sorted so that he (Piastri) can come home with the win,” she said.
McLaren has been criticised throughout the season for issuing team orders that have often disadvantaged Piastri. Anagnostiadis argued that, with a world title at stake, Piastri should not feel obliged to comply if he is fighting for victory.
“If you’re both fighting for P1, I’m hoping the team’s saying, ‘you know what, you guys go out and race this weekend and let the best man win’,” she said.
McLaren’s scrutiny has intensified following a strategic error in Qatar that enabled Max Verstappen to close the gap in the standings, as well as the team’s double disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Despite admiring Verstappen, Anagnostiadis hopes to see Australians celebrating an historic Piastri victory.
“I hope Oscar can do it because it would be awesome… I think (Australians) will parade around the streets like when Argentina wins the football,” she said.
Currently recovering from a broken foot, Anagnostiadis has missed the final rounds of the all-female F1 Academy season but is eager to return in 2026, following the series’ heightened profile after its 2025 Netflix docuseries.
