BREAKING NEWS: Lando Norris gained more crucial points on title rival Max Verstappen……..Read more
‘I’m not here to beg for someone to let me past’ says title challenger Norris as McLaren avoid imposing team orders in Monza
Lando Norris gained crucial points over title rival Max Verstappen by finishing third at the Italian Grand Prix, while Verstappen ended up in sixth place. Despite his strong result, Norris expressed frustration that McLaren did not impose team orders that could have allowed him to finish ahead of his teammate Oscar Piastri, who secured second place in the race.
At the start of the race, Piastri executed a bold move around the outside of Norris at Monza’s second chicane, taking the lead on Lap 1. Norris then dropped to third after being passed by eventual race winner Charles Leclerc at the following corner. This move set the tone for the race, with Piastri and Norris battling each other while trying to stay within reach of Leclerc.
During the race, McLaren communicated “papaya rules” to their drivers, allowing them to fight on track as long as they avoided any contact. When asked post-race about the meaning of these rules and whether Piastri’s aggressive move on Lap 1 was within the team’s guidelines, Norris explained that the primary rule was simply to avoid crashing. Norris acknowledged that Piastri had done a good job, as there was no contact between them.
Piastri described his overtake on Norris as straightforward, noting that he managed to brake later and maintain his position on the outside, which ultimately put him in a strong position for the rest of the race. He emphasized that the key was to make a clean move and continue without incident, which both drivers managed to do.
McLaren decided to pit both Piastri and Norris for a second time, a strategy that ultimately prevented them from challenging Leclerc for the win, as the Ferrari driver opted for a one-stop strategy. This decision left Piastri and Norris to finish second and third, respectively.
With Norris currently trailing Verstappen by 62 points in the championship standings and only eight races remaining, the Briton was asked if he would have preferred McLaren to intervene and swap the positions in the final laps to give him an extra three points. Norris admitted that while he would have appreciated such a move, it wasn’t his decision to make. He acknowledged the dilemma, as no driver wants team orders to interfere with the race, but also recognized the importance of maximizing points in the championship battle.
Norris expressed confidence in McLaren’s overall performance, praising the team for their collaboration and strong results throughout the season. However, he also highlighted the importance of capitalizing on every opportunity in the championship fight, especially as time starts to run out.
This isn’t the first time McLaren’s team order strategy has come under scrutiny in 2024. Earlier in the season, Piastri took his maiden victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix after Norris initially used a strategy advantage to get ahead, only to later relinquish the lead to his teammate following a team request.
In the end, Norris acknowledged that while team orders could help his championship chances, his primary focus remains on winning races outright, something he fell short of at Monza due to what he described as some “silly things” that occurred during the race.
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