Piastri Accepts McLaren's Monza Team Order as 'Fair'

Why it matters

McLaren's Oscar Piastri accepted a team order to let teammate Lando Norris pass at the Italian Grand Prix, a decision that tightened their championship battle and sparked external debate.

The details

• Piastri briefly moved ahead of Norris after a quicker pit stop but was instructed to swap positions a lap later. This echoed a similar incident at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.
• Piastri stated, "I think today the decision to swap back was fair. Lando was ahead of me the whole race. I don’t have any issues with that, but we will definitely discuss it."
• Norris defended the call, asserting he "earned my right to be ahead" and emphasizing team fairness.
• Team Principal Andrea Stella confirmed the pit wall initiated the swap, citing the botched pit stop and original running order. He thanked Piastri for his cooperation.
• Race winner Max Verstappen initially questioned the call over team radio, but later declined to directly criticize McLaren's strategy, noting "mistakes happen" in racing.

Big picture

The decision, while controversial to some, underscores McLaren's commitment to internal fairness and managing a tight championship fight between its drivers.

What's next

Piastri, whose championship lead over Norris is now 31 points, aims to improve qualifying and car setup to avoid similar strategic dilemmas in future races.