Mercedes Chief Toto Wolff Advocates for McLaren Team Orders to Boost Lando Norris’ Title Bid

Toto Wolff: McLaren ought to prioritize Lando Norris with team orders

Mercedes chief shares his opinion on McLaren's team orders discussion

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has indicated that McLaren may need to make a tough decision regarding team orders as the F1 championship battle nears its end.

McLaren seemed to have an ideal chance to take advantage of Red Bull's Max Verstappen having a tough weekend by securing the top two spots on the starting grid for the Italian Grand Prix. However, their lead driver, Lando Norris, dropped from first to third place on the opening lap following a tussle with his teammate, Oscar Piastri.

Piastri overtook his teammate with a bold maneuver on the outside of the Della Roggia chicane. Shortly after, Norris surrendered another spot to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the next turn.

Norris secured third place, following Piastri and Leclerc, and reduced Verstappen’s lead in the drivers' championship to 62 points with eight races left, as the Dutchman finished in sixth place.

Toto Wolff remarked that being a leading racing team puts McLaren in a challenging situation. He explained that although they are competitive like any other racing team, it was still surprising to see McLaren allow their drivers to compete against each other.

“We aim to ensure that the most deserving individual prevails, but when this begins to disrupt and negatively affect our team’s effectiveness, what steps should be taken in response?”

"The team frequently ends up losing because if you lock in positions and impose team directives, it might not align with the spirit of racing we desire, but the logical approach has to take precedence."

"In the end, you don't want to miss out on a championship by a mere three or five points that you could have easily secured. It's a delicate balance to maintain, and there isn't a single, definitive way to approach it."

Wolff suggested that McLaren's team leader, Andrea Stella, might need to reconsider their 'Papaya Rules' and shift away from his "racer's soul" strategy.

Toto Wolff emphasized, "Andrea Stella and Zak Brown possess unparalleled knowledge of the sport. Andrea, in particular, has witnessed numerous events firsthand during his tenure at Ferrari."

"He possesses the competitive spirit that resists intervention and prefers to allow the racers to compete freely. However, I believe they will reach a decision after this race on how to manage the situation."

"At this point, we began to implement guidelines for engagement, but later altered the term to 'racing intent' because the word 'rules' seemed too strict for the drivers."

Discover More

Recent Updates

Recent Updates

Site Navigation

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to fully or partially reproduce text, photos, or illustrations in any manner.