**”Nico Rosberg Critiques McLaren’s Team Orders: ‘Hurting’ Lando Norris in Championship Battle”**

Nico Rosberg weighs in on the controversy surrounding McLaren's team orders

Nico Rosberg evaluates the competition between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

Nico Rosberg claims that McLaren's choice to allow their drivers to compete with each other is "harming" Lando Norris.

However, he emphasized that Ferrari's Charles Leclerc's victory at the F1 Italian Grand Prix was not necessarily a result of the choices made by McLaren's leadership.

Norris began the race in the front position but was quickly passed by his teammate Oscar Piastri during the initial lap, putting him at a disadvantage. He was unable to regain his lead and lost a significant opportunity to challenge Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship.

Former Formula 1 champion Rosberg discussed McLaren's approach of not giving preference to either of their drivers while speaking with Sky Sports.

"Papaya is competitive, but play fair," Rosberg stated.

Sources indicate that Lando believed Oscar crossed the line during their contest at Turn 4. He felt it wasn’t a clean and fair move.

"Intense debates are expected inside the McLaren team’s motorhome."

"It’s really challenging to handle. It’s a delicate balance. You can document those guidelines, but did Oscar exceed the boundaries set by the Papaya rules?"

"I believe Oscar performed excellently. He vacated the area and executed his tasks superbly."

Andrea Stella, who is now the team principal at McLaren, was employed at Ferrari during the time when Michael Schumacher was the clear top driver.

However, Rosberg asserts that he is not responsible for McLaren's unique approach of giving equal treatment to both drivers.

"The philosophy originates from the highest level, specifically from Zak Brown," he stated.

"We have two lead drivers, which is central to McLaren's philosophy and has been for many years. Andrea is implementing this strategy."

"They believed they were still in contention for a victory right up until the final moments."

The team allowed their drivers to compete against each other, making the race thrilling and engaging. Ultimately, Ferrari took a gamble with their strategy, which paid off and surprised everyone.

“There’s an issue regarding Lando and the drivers’ championship. The team has chosen to continue treating both drivers as equals instead of giving Lando the priority. That’s the choice they’ve made, but it’s clearly affecting Lando negatively.”

Are McLaren hesitant to take risks?

Norris trails Verstappen by 62 points, with Verstappen still leading the drivers' standings even after a streak of poor performance.

Karun Chandhok remarked that giving Lando every possible point is essential if they aim to compete in the drivers' championship.

"Conversely, giving them the freedom to race has benefited Oscar. He performed exceptionally well and was the quickest McLaren driver today."

"In the long run, it's more beneficial to have Oscar as an ally."

Rosberg commented that Lando is performing exceptionally. He’s driving skillfully and his confidence is soaring.

"It's encouraging that he senses an opportunity. He remains the lesser-known contender."

"Lando made an error at Turn 4. Positioned on the inside, he had the situation under control. However, he was overly cautious."

Is McLaren being overly cautious when it comes to taking chances

Rosberg replied: “Being too cautious? It’s hard to judge. Today, they were taken by surprise. No one could have foreseen that Ferrari's strategy would succeed. I wouldn't make that claim based on today's events."

“Risk-averse? They allow their drivers to engage in intense battles! They raced side by side, and Lando nearly lost control in the clash with Oscar.”

Rosberg maintained that McLaren's internal competition during the first lap was not the reason for their loss in the race.

"That's not necessarily the case. Oscar had an outstanding race. They maximized the potential of the car today," he commented.

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