McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says Lando Norris will receive priority over his team mate as he tries to win the world championship.
Norris is the closest driver to championship leader Max Verstappen with eight rounds remaining in the season. The McLaren driver is 62 points off the lead.His team mate Oscar Piastri lies fourth in the standings, 44 points behind Norris. Piastri finished immediately in front of Norris in two of the last four races, including the Hungarian Grand Prix, which he won.
Norris has gained 19 points on Verstappen since the Austrian Grand Prix. During that time McLaren has won two races and taken three pole positions, while Red Bull have had none of either.
McLaren previously insisted their drivers have been “free to race” up to now. Piastri passed his team mate for the lead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on the opening lap, but doing so also allowed Charles Leclerc to overtake Norris. The Ferrari driver went on to beat both McLarens to victory.
Ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Stella indicated that Norris would receive priority from McLaren for the rest of the season to support his bid to catch Verstappen, but did not go as far as confirm he will have full ‘number one’ status.
“The overall concept is we are incredibly determined to win, but we want to win in the right way,” Stella told the BBC.
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“We [will] bias our support to Lando but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles. Our principles are that the team interest always comes first. Sportsmanship for us is important in the overall way we go racing. And then we want to be fair to both drivers.”
Stella explicitly stressed that the change in policy was to help avoid future situations like the opening lap at Monza, where Norris fell behind a rival car as a result of battling with his team mate.
“What we don’t want to see any more is a situation like in Monza in which we enter a chicane P1 and P2 and we exit P1 and P3,” he explained. “Because that is a detriment to the team.
“The team interests comes first and these are the situations that above all we need to fix because eventually, as a matter of fact, the way we entered the race in Monza left the door open this situation.”
Stella says that Piastri has shown willingness to support his team mate’s title bid.
“The conversations have been very collaborative,” he said.
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“Even when I said to Oscar ‘would you be available to give up a victory?’ He said: ‘It’s painful, but if it’s the right thing to do now, I will do it’. Every driver is hard-wired to go for a victory. So I am always very impressed by the level of team spirit and maturity and collaboration that we found in this period.”
Norris, Stella says, does not want to have complete number one status where Piastri would be required to move over at all times over the rest of the season.
“Lando wants to win because he deserved the victory on track,” Stella said.
“It’s okay to be occasionally supported by your team mate, but you don’t want to use, systematically, ways of adjusting the race just for the sake of the points when your team mate is scoring in a way that he deserves. This is not the way McLaren want to win, or the way Lando wants to win.”
Stella said Norris would be content if he failed to win the championship by a few points that he “could have got with some actions… if those actions were not right at the time.”
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Leo B
12th September 2024, 10:24
“Oscar please slow down and let Norris pass.”
GeeMac (@geemac)
12th September 2024, 11:44
Exactly, I was just about to say if that’s the case Norris should justify the faith the team are showing in him by actually beating Piastri.
Dex
12th September 2024, 12:33
That’s what the unbiased British media demanded. Poor Piastri, under attack for actually doing his job well.
And he was so praised when he was slower, as a rookie.
I like Lando, he’s one of my favourite drivers, but a part of me now likes when he’s beaten by his teammate, which is silly on my side. But it’s like a medicine against the certain media.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
12th September 2024, 13:02
LOL no it can’t just be common sense, it must be the British media being biased. Asking a question why Lando wasn’t being given priority in a situation where he’s the best placed of the McLaren drivers to challenge Max is not the same as criticising Oscar for racing Lando hard. If you’re interpreting it that way that says more about you than Sky or any media organisation.
timber
12th September 2024, 15:08
@Carl Parker Nice try, you’re misrepresenting what Dex said, and then you go on to dismiss that what he hasn’t said… He said about attacking Piatri, he did NOT say anything abotu asking a question to Norris. So maybe try to comment on what is actually said, instead of just blindly wanting to win an argument.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
12th September 2024, 19:49
Yes, Dex was talking about the British media apparently attacking Piastri, which the British media HASNT. That’s my point, I’m not trying to blindly win anything?
timber
12th September 2024, 15:06
Same here! I used to follow the beginning and the rise of Hamilton in F1, it was great! But overtime I got soo sooo much biased British media articles and this constant blind worshipping and praising by the commentators, like he is the second coming of christ himself…. I just cannot be bothered anymore, I just ignore everything about him now, it’s just beyond annoying at this point.
Nick T.
12th September 2024, 23:23
Do you remember when Kravitz was nearly sobbing because of Lando’s unsporting behavior penalty? The rest of the team had to literally cut him off.
SteveP
13th September 2024, 7:27
British bias this, British bias that.
Give it a rest.
As a Brit I want to see the better driver win, and I’m sure Oscar will win in due course. He’s too far behind this year for a realistic chance, though.
Mayrton
13th September 2024, 7:06
Too late? Does it still makes sense to do it now? Or does it rather ridicule the decision making so far at McLaren?
notagrumpyfan
12th September 2024, 10:26
I think RBR should do the same ;)
Doh
12th September 2024, 10:43
And while we’re at it, mercedes should prioritise Norris too.
Jere (@jerejj)
12th September 2024, 10:46
Doh I assume you’re sarcastic, but how exactly? Nothing they can do about him.
Doh
12th September 2024, 13:47
Yes, very dry.
DavidS (@davids)
12th September 2024, 12:19
“Checo, you need to let Max past.”
“I know, I saw the blue flags.”
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
12th September 2024, 13:47
Ha!
notagrumpyfan
12th September 2024, 14:47
;)
UNeedAFinn2Win (@uneedafinn2win)
12th September 2024, 14:57
Too funny this one
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th September 2024, 20:34
Ahah, was thinking the same, as in “how in hell would perez let verstappen past??”
David
12th September 2024, 10:44
Just have the guts to say you are giving Lando number one status instead of this soft and fluffy nonsense about collaboration.
falken (@falken)
12th September 2024, 13:09
That’d breach a contract, I expect
Nick T.
12th September 2024, 23:25
No. No. No. They’re just introducing bias. Like, you know, if all things are equal…
Jere (@jerejj)
12th September 2024, 10:45
Unsurprising
StephenH
12th September 2024, 10:52
Why now ??
If Lando finishes less than 10 points behind Max in the championship come Abu Dhabi …
Rom
12th September 2024, 11:35
I’d argue Norris not winning with a more than capable enough car in Imola, Spain, Canada and Silverstone is worth more than just 10 points. How about not finishing behind Verstappen in Spa who had a grid penalty? Or throw away another pole in Monza where Piastri was justified since Norris did not even match his teammates pace at all that race?
The 10 points lost in Hungary and Monza is an easy excuse if Norris misses it by less than that margin. It is from all his earlier mistakes and wasting mid season opportunities this year which made McLaren reluctant on team orders. If Norris won more than just 2 races with that car and closed the points gap, McLaren would’ve told Piastri to move aside for wins much earlier.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th September 2024, 20:38
Yes, in this case and for example hamilton 2021, I also tend to think it’s easy to blame team orders or abu dhabi, which aren’t things necessarily under the driver’s control, when norris could’ve done a better job, especially in the starts, not losing positions at spa would’ve made it a different race for example, and likewise with hamilton back then, people insist on abu dhabi when hamilton threw away many points in baku.
Ankita
12th September 2024, 12:17
This is silly. Getting those 10 points would have presupposed that Piastri would have received two team orders to let Norris pass in a space of three races. No driver could call himself world champion having benefited from reiterated orders, especially when he has legitimately been beaten on track.
Roger Ayles (@roger-ayles)
12th September 2024, 14:32
Then there are a lot of world championship winning drivers throughout F1’s history that I guess you don’t consider to be world champions.
I mean there are example from the past of drivers taking over a team mates car mid-race to win a championship including Peter Collins giving up his Ferrari at the 1956 Italian GP so Fangio could take it over & go on to win the championship even though Collins himself was actually still in contention to win that championship.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th September 2024, 20:41
But he talked about drivers getting 2 team orders in their favour in a very brief period and winning cause of that, even if you think about austria 2002 or russia 2018, the margin was big enough that the team order didn’t make a difference, we’re talking about team orders deciding the championship, I know there’s the one you said and hawthorn in 1958, but multiples, I don’t remember any example, although there could be.
SteveP
13th September 2024, 7:36
Well, that strips a few Schumacher instances, doesn’t it?
SteveP
13th September 2024, 7:40
That strikes a few of Schumachers WDCs then.
As @roger-ayles says there are drivers through history you wouldn’t consider WDCs on that basis, I thought I’d give you a rather prominent one to chew on.
SteveP
13th September 2024, 7:42
I see the site is behaving weirdly again.
asz
12th September 2024, 10:54
This is called an overtake and occasionally happens in motorsports.
David BR (@david-br)
12th September 2024, 11:21
This is exactly what I argued after Monza and I’m relieved McLaren have admitted they (obviously) knew that was the case. Maybe we could say there are (1) no team orders, (2) soft team orders and (3) hard team orders: free to race (and collide), free to race if they don’t compromise each other’s race and allow another car or cars to benefit, and not free to race and/or need to swap places.
Piastri compromised the ‘soft team orders’ by allowing Leclerc ahead of Norris, arguably compromising his own race as well as Lando’s. That’s what Andrea Stella is acknowledging. There’s an added dimension he won’t and can’t say, which is that Piastri exploited the fact Norris has more to lose by a collision. Verstappen used that a lot in his earlier career, especially when Red Bull were improving but the title battle was Mercedes v. Ferrari – the latter would basically let him through rather than risk a collision. There’s also the ‘Webber-factor’ in Piastri’s approach, which McLaren will also be attune to.
What does it mean in practical terms? I think it means what I was suggesting they do all along: the McLaren drivers try to ensure they both start well, something top teams (Ferrari, Mercedes) have done in the past; if their positions are stable after a few laps, Piastri is behind but faster, then they let them race (or Piastri passes at the pit stop). If Piastri is ahead towards the end of the race, Norris in P2, then they assess where Verstappen is and how crucial those extra points are. Fairly normal stuff. If Red Bull aren’t improving, I’d be more in favour of them leaving Piastri ahead. If Verstappen is in P3 (or P1 with Piastri and Norris behind) then maybe they should swap.
I don’t think there’s anything exceptional to this except curbing Piastri’s compromising of Norris’s race starts (which he also did in the Hungarian GP incidentally). The only clear example I can remember was Raikkonen’s ‘help’ for Vettel at the Singapore 2017.
SteveP
13th September 2024, 7:50
I think people call it being an Aussie.
A sort of, “It’s a competition, and I’m competing, so the more you lose to me the better. Even when I’ve won the war, I will still fight the remaining battles”
But in this instance, I think you’re talking “multi-21” with a quiet word from Oscar to Lando: “you owe me”
Avro Anson (@avroanson)
13th September 2024, 8:42
Norris compromised his own start at Hungary by trying to run Piastri off track, and failing to cover off Verstappen. He’s done this more than once and every time he came out worse off. If he’s ever going to be champion, he needs to learn from his mistakes, not just bleat about them.
anon
12th September 2024, 11:12
It sounds like whatever they do, they are going to be criticised by many posters on this site.
In earlier races, there were those saying McLaren were foolish to not do more to throw their weight behind Norris to maximise their odds in winning both titles.
Now that they are giving him more support, we now have people either complaining that they were too slow to do so, or now complaining that it’s not ‘proper racing’ for them to do so (but not necessarily criticising other teams for implementing policies that favour one driver even more heavily).
Whatever they do, they are going to be attacked.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
12th September 2024, 11:28
This is the thing. Team orders have always been controversial in F1, except when they aren’t. Usually it depends on who is being favoured.
David BR (@david-br)
12th September 2024, 11:29
I think Hungary was awkward just because they took the wrong ‘pitting order’ decision and effectively swapped the drivers around, while ‘inadvertently’ putting them in a better order (Norris ahead) for the championship. Which obviously Lando himself was keenly aware of. Had Piastri been ahead after the final pit stop, they’d have been no question about swapping them.
Broderick Harper (@banbrorace)
12th September 2024, 11:30
My criticism is that this should have been done weeks ago.
Bob2 (@bob2)
13th September 2024, 0:04
How many weeks ago? If Piasri finishes ahead of Lando at the first race of ’25, does he then get preference for the rest of the season? It’s just silly, Lando being so far behind is because Lando has been doing Lando things all season, to now suggest it is Oscar’s fault and he needs to play the number 2 is a gut punch.
Go get the teams championship, that is all they should be focused one.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
12th September 2024, 18:00
I think you are entirely correct.
Nick T.
12th September 2024, 23:27
You are correct, which makes their behavior even more silly. Commit to one course of action and stick to it.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
12th September 2024, 11:57
Personally I’d preferred them not to order Piastri to assist Norris, it was quite refreshing really to see a team willing to let their drivers race no matter what. I don’t think Piastri should be asked to move aside to let Norris win.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
12th September 2024, 12:57
Stella keeps parroting Brown’s narrative, hinting that RBR’s victories come the “wrong” way. Seriously, give it a rest ! If the overhyped salesman spent more time focusing on his own team, McLaren could be leading both championships by now. Best case scenario: Max Verstappen takes the WDC, Ferrari clinches the WCC, and Zak Brown/McLaren win the Fair Play Championship for doing it the “right” way. Everybody wins !
Peat Smoke
12th September 2024, 17:55
Otherwise know as a sucker award.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th September 2024, 20:48
It’s not a scenario to exclude, in monza not using team orders hampered mclaren’s chances since leclerc got past and eventually they didn’t win a race they could’ve got a 1-2 in, and with ferrari being so close we have 3 teams that could realistically win the constructor’s.
Nick T.
12th September 2024, 23:29
That would be beautiful. I’ve gone from McLaren being one of my secondary favorites to loathing them. However, like many, I root for Oscar (though, IMO, he’ll never be as fast as Lando).
Maciek (@maciek)
12th September 2024, 12:58
Hopefully Norris can do it on his own, but overall I’m not opposed to teammates being asked to help one another if one has a realistic shot at the championship while the other doesn’t.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
12th September 2024, 13:33
This makes a lot of sense, given Norris’ position in the Championship, but I don’t really feel that he fully deserves it.
He’s lost a lot of points because, being blunt, he just wasn’t good enough in competitive situations, the last race being a perfect example.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
12th September 2024, 13:41
Lets be honest, nobody likes team orders affecting races but there a many many instances in the past where drivers have helped the ‘lead driver’, and the vast majority are not as visible in races as direct driver swaps – I’m talking about use of 2nd drivers to remove points from rivals, backing people up for pit windows, blocking, etc. which all have the same effect of artificially making the lead driver have a bigger lead in the championship. Perez has/is doing some of those for RBR, and indeed was a big reason why Max managed to become champion in 2021.
The fact that another team is close enough to take this sort of tactic is good frankly, as it should make the title race closer. Max clearly has domination over his team-mate – McLaren thinking of the same under certain conditions is just levelling the playing field a bit more.
SteveP
13th September 2024, 7:56
There you go, Magnussen is the perfect replacement for Perez, willing to throw his own chances away to benefit his teammate.
Paul (@frankjaeger)
12th September 2024, 13:42
May I remind people that Norris has been beating Piastri on pace for most of the time he’s been at McLaren. Piastri is great and has had a run of good results recently, but Norris most of the time has had a couple of tenths on him in quali and quicker in race. There’s so much unnecessary hype with the average f1 follower nowadays
Nick T.
12th September 2024, 23:32
Quiet. Don’t introduce any reality into the “Piastri is coming at Lando like a bullet train” and “will be crushing Norris any day now.” The first quote is verbatim from a user here. lol
David (@nvherman)
13th September 2024, 15:19
Yes, I remember that. It was delusional.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
12th September 2024, 13:47
Well, I think Oscar had been costing Lando not just the position of being overtaken but extra positions. On the other hand, if Lando held his ground, they could have risked their position in the WCC and the possibility of fighting in the WDC. Part of that was Lando making absolutely sure there was no contact with his teammate and Lando does seem a bit soft when it comes to racing in general and to teammates. For instance, at Monza he didn’t attack Ricciardo and asked on the radio to confirm.
It’s a very easy decision for Oscar (just dive deep and force Lando to give it up) but a much more difficult one for Norris and McLaren.
Oscar could do this in every race which is great for him but also sets him up terribly for the team because a crash may cost them the WCC and the WDC. But obviously he has no clue what those 2 things mean as he thinks he’ll have a chance at them every year as opposed to “you’re very lucky if you’re on a team to win either”.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th September 2024, 20:51
Yes, good point, he had much less to lose than norris, making it easier to overtake in that situation.
Here we all know well how rare chances to win titles are, with mclaren now having a chance to win the constructor’s championship after 26 years and a minor chance on the driver’s title after 16.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th September 2024, 20:51
Yes, good point, he had much less to lose than norris, making it easier to overtake in that situation.
Here we all know well how rare chances to win titles are, with mclaren now having a chance to win the constructor’s championship after 26 years and a minor chance on the driver’s title after 16.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
12th September 2024, 13:50
For a few weeks now I’ve felt Max is very very catchable. There are probably going to be rounds where 5th is a good result for him. Not long ago people were calling his lead ‘unsurmountable’. I think it’s going to be a fascinating last 3rd of the season. If you gave me a dollar and asked me to put it on Max or not. I’d honestly go with not right now.
MacLeod (@macleod)
12th September 2024, 14:00
This is not something you decide past half the season it should be adressed in the begin of the season when a driver is clear ahaead you is nr. 1 and should get the points.
Now i find is very late because if Oscar is winning all the time and Lando takes Max out Oscar can be champion.
Roger Ayles (@roger-ayles)
12th September 2024, 14:37
I think it’s 2 races too late, Yes asking Oscar to help Lando in Hungary & Italy would have seemed harsh but at the end of the day the teams are there to win & not just races but ultimately championships and they should do whatever it takes to do so even if things like team orders are unpopular amongst some fans.
End of the day it’s a team sport & team orders in various forms have been a part of it since the very beginning & fans just need to accept that.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th September 2024, 20:54
I think it’d have looked really bad in terms of deserving the championship, receiving 6-7 team orders over a season in your favour and barely having more points than your opponent, people are still saying 2021 wasn’t a deserved championship (I disagree ofc), let alone winning 2024 in such a way.
SteveP
13th September 2024, 8:05
Ignoring the crashes, 2021 was a great season, right up until Masi broke the rules.
Everyone on edge throughout the last race, and then Masi ruins it.
As someone said to me: “I wanted Max to win. That was a farce, not a win”
timber
12th September 2024, 15:20
You know what would be very interesting to witness? If Piatri can take the win (+ the fastest lap) and Norris has an DNF….
Then all of a sudden, Piastri is less than 20 points behind Norris. I really wonder if Piastri is still so keen to obey teamorders in that situation!
FlyingLap (@flyinglapp)
12th September 2024, 16:30
At Monza, even though he was really trying to catch Leclerc, Piastri couldn’t get the fastest lap, but Norris did. He’s naturally faster than Piastri but is much more cautious. That might be because he has more to lose this year than Piastri – he alone is in the position to reel in Verstappen, but only if he avoids DNFs.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th September 2024, 20:56
Yes, he’s generally still faster, and he can catch verstappen, but barely, and it’s also depending on the car: if red bull improves and becomes 2nd best car again the races won’t be enough.
FlyingLap (@flyinglapp)
12th September 2024, 22:31
Should Red Bull not improve, and without Newey that’s likely, Norris will catch up the points. Max will get more and more frustrated which, like in his early days, could lead to crashes, especially if he’s starting from the 3rd row. This championship is far from over.
Jogo
12th September 2024, 18:50
What Piastri did at Monza shows he doesn’t want Norris as a champion. It is silent sabotage. This will end badly.
PeteB (@peteb)
12th September 2024, 19:17
They’ve totally missed the boat on this one. Should have either happened several races ago or not at all.