Lando Norris Reflects on Team Orders Controversy: Admits Mistakes and Discusses Unity Within McLaren

Lando Norris acknowledges he was "foolish" and "irrational" regarding the controversy over McLaren's team directives.

Lando Norris shares insights on a matter he feels "not too pleased about."

Lando Norris has admitted his mistake in postponing the team directives from McLaren in Hungary, eventually allowing Oscar Piastri to overtake.

Piastri's debut victory in F1 last weekend was eclipsed by internal team conflict when Norris, who was leading the race, defied his team's orders for numerous laps.

Before the upcoming F1 Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, Norris has admitted responsibility.

Norris mentioned at Spa, in the presence of Crash.net in the paddock, that he ought to have "simply allowed him to pass immediately."

He continued, "It was such an unnecessary mistake on my part, especially since we have the freedom to compete. I could have simply allowed him to overtake and then attempted to regain my position by racing against him.

"It seems quite straightforward in hindsight, but it wasn't a thought that occurred to me back then. A basic action like that was indeed within my capability."

"At that moment, I found myself in a solid flow, and everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. I did have my doubts then, and I raised those concerns with the team on several occasions."

"However, I was aware the moment they positioned me in front of him that I would need to allow him to pass. It was a bit foolish of me not to have done so sooner."

Norris remarked, "Is there a possibility that the situation could have been approached a bit differently, both from the team's perspective and a personal standpoint? Definitely, without a doubt."

"In many respects, the dialogue we're engaged in at this moment might not have occurred. Regardless of the narratives outsiders construct about the events that unfolded and the actions I might or might not have taken, I'm not bothered by it."

Reflecting on my actions and how they overshadowed Oscar's premiere victory in Formula 1, I realize it's not something I'm particularly proud of.

"The reality that we secured the first and second places, yet it hardly made the news following the race, the reality that we achieved a 1-2 finish and it went largely unmentioned. That's the aspect that really bothered me more."

"Additionally, we've had conversations on the topic, acknowledging that improvements and different approaches could have been made by both parties."

Norris emphasized that it was never his intention to fully disregard the team's command and block Piastri from overtaking.

"He expressed that releasing him was a necessity."

The more time I took to make a decision, primarily because it wasn't crucial to act immediately or delay it until later, the more it prolonged, the more others would doubt whether I would actually take action. That's the key point.

Many believe it was something beyond my capabilities, yet I was aware that it was necessary. Therefore, their opinions didn't affect my decision.

"I don't have to watch it again; I'm aware that I ought to have allowed him to overtake sooner, which would have still given me an opportunity to attempt to secure a victory in the race. That would have been the right move."

He stated, "The moment they essentially instructed 'allow him to go ahead now,' I immediately let him pass."

"The issue never revolved around whether I was disregarding or not paying attention or anything of that sort. My intentions and necessities were always apparent. I simply allowed it to persist slightly longer than I should have."

Norris refrains from claiming top position

Failing to clinch victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, during a challenging weekend for Max Verstappen, Norris fell behind in the race for the F1 championship lead.

However, Norris emphasized that it's not up to McLaren to put all its resources and support solely behind him.

"No, that was unrelated to the events of the previous week," he stated.

"I made a mistake being at the front of the race, that sums it up. I never should have been in that position. Oscar overtook me right from the start and managed it skillfully. That's the whole story.

"I regret being in the lead, as it created a false impression among others that the team doesn't favor Lando."

"If Oscar was ahead for the entire race, it makes no sense for them to suddenly request he move aside for me, especially when considering the championship perspective."

"I'm unsure about the exact moment, whether it's being 10 or 15 points down, at which you start asking, 'could you lend a bit more support, or take on some of this or that?'"

"I'm unsure of when that moment will come, and it's not up to me to decide."

"However, when Oscar dominated the entire race, maintaining control throughout, and they opted to pit me first as a precautionary measure from a strategic standpoint, it created a totally different impression."

"It's not supposed to, and within our team, we're aware it doesn't. Oscar truly earned his victory and indeed, he claimed it – it's as straightforward as that."

McLaren has not designated a primary driver, a policy that came to the forefront amid the turmoil at the Hungaroring.

Norris has no intentions of insisting that the team treat him as their top priority, even though he currently holds the second position in the championship standings.

"I still have to prove myself, by being the fastest on the track," he stated.

"I don't believe there's been any shift. It's unclear to me why we would suddenly favor one over the other at this juncture, considering we've never shown partiality within the team. It may have appeared that way from an external viewpoint, which is often the case nowadays, but…"

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