Revealed: McLaren's Italian GP Team Order Drama Unfolds Between Norris and Piastri

McLaren faced another team orders controversy at the Italian Grand Prix after pit stops for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri led to a contentious position swap.

Why it Matters:

Running second, Piastri pitted first to defend against Charles Leclerc, initially emerging ahead of Norris as Max Verstappen resumed the lead. However, a slow pit stop for Norris on the subsequent lap effectively put Piastri ahead of his teammate on track. This sparked a team order for Piastri to cede the position back to Norris, who had held second place for much of the race.

The incident had direct championship implications, with Piastri's lead over Norris reduced to 31 points instead of a potential 37, had he ignored the instruction. Both drivers faced intense questioning post-race, highlighting ongoing team dynamics.

The Big Picture:

McLaren's strategy aimed to protect Piastri from Leclerc, but Norris's delayed stop complicated matters. The team's decision to restore Norris's original track position underscores a hierarchy or a pre-defined race strategy priority, even amidst unforeseen circumstances like a slow pit stop.

Key Radio Exchanges:

• Lap 45 - Norris questioning pit strategy:
  • Norris (LN): "Did you want to box the other car first?"
  • Norris's Engineer (WJ): "Yep, we’ll do that. We’ll swap it around so stay out."
  • LN: "Well, only if he doesn’t undercut, otherwise I’ll box first."
• The Pit Stops - Norris's Delay:
  • After Piastri's pit on Lap 45, Norris suffered a slow front-left tire change on Lap 46, rejoining behind Piastri.
• The Team Order:
  • WJ to LN: "Lando, we’re going to re-establish the order. So he will let you past..."
  • Piastri's Engineer (TS) to Oscar Piastri (OP): "Oscar, this is a bit like Hungary last year. We pitted in this order for team reasons. Please let Lando pass, and you’re free to race."
  • OP: "I mean, we said that a slow pit stop was part of racing. I don’t really get what’s changed here. But if you really want to do it, then I’ll do it."

What's Next:

Piastri complied, allowing Norris through on Lap 49. This incident continues to fuel discussions about team orders in Formula 1 and McLaren's approach to managing its young, competitive driver pairing.