Oscar Piastri Clarifies McLaren Team Order 'Precedent' After Monza Uproar

Oscar Piastri has clarified McLaren's stance on team orders, refuting suggestions that their decision at the Italian Grand Prix set a dangerous "precedent."

Why it matters

The controversy surrounding McLaren's team orders in Monza sparked debate over fairness and potential future implications for intra-team rivalries. Piastri's clarification addresses concerns about how McLaren will manage driver battles, especially as both drivers aim for strong results.

The details

• During the Italian Grand Prix, Piastri was instructed to allow Lando Norris to retake second position.
• This instruction followed a slow pit stop for Norris, which saw Piastri, who had pitted earlier, gain a temporary advantage over his teammate.
• Despite initially airing disagreement over team radio, Piastri complied, ceding the position.
• The team's decision has been met with mixed public opinion, though both drivers have since publicly supported the action.

The clarification

Piastri firmly denied that the Monza incident sets a precedent for all future situations, especially if rival cars are involved.

• He emphasized that a position swap, like the one at Monza, is only feasible when no other competitors are positioned between the two McLaren cars.
• "If it's within your control and there's no other cars involved, it's quite simple," Piastri stated.
• He added that McLaren would not sacrifice points to other teams due to an internal error if it meant losing positions to rivals.
• Should a team error cause a McLaren driver to fall behind both their teammate and other cars, Piastri described it as a "very unfortunate" situation where a swap would not occur.

What's next

This clarification indicates McLaren's pragmatic approach to team management: prioritizing overall team points over strict internal fairness if external competitors are a factor. It sets a clear boundary for future intra-team skirmishes, ensuring that internal mistakes don't inadvertently benefit rival teams in the championship.