**Nico Rosberg Evaluates McLaren’s Team Orders: Is “Papaya Racing” Hurting Lando Norris?**

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

Nico Rosberg evaluates the rivalry between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

Nico Rosberg believes that McLaren allowing their drivers to compete freely is negatively affecting Lando Norris.

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

Norris began the race from pole position but was quickly overtaken by his teammate Oscar Piastri during the first lap, putting him at a disadvantage. He was unable to regain the lead and missed an opportunity to make a significant impact on Max Verstappen's standing in the drivers' championship.

Former Formula 1 champion Rosberg discussed McLaren's approach of treating both drivers equally during an analysis for Sky Sports.

"Papaya sets the standards for the race, but ensure it’s a fair competition," Rosberg stated.

Sources indicate that Lando believed Oscar exceeded acceptable boundaries during their contest at Turn 4. He apparently felt that Oscar's actions were not entirely fair.

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

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

"Oscar did an excellent job, leaving the area and performing wonderfully."

Andrea Stella, the team principal of McLaren, was employed at Ferrari during the period when Michael Schumacher was the clear top driver.

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

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

"At McLaren, we consider both of our drivers as top-tier, a principle that has been a part of our heritage for many years. Andrea is currently putting this strategy into action."

"They believed they had a chance to win right up until the final moments."

"The team allowed their drivers to compete freely, making the race thrilling and engaging. Ultimately, Ferrari took a strategic gamble that paid off."

The issue revolves around Lando and the drivers' championship. The team has opted to continue treating both drivers as equals, rather than giving Lando priority. While that is their chosen strategy, it is clearly impacting Lando negatively.

Do McLaren avoid taking risks?

Norris trails Verstappen by 62 points, with Verstappen still at the top of the drivers’ standings even though he has been performing poorly lately.

Karun Chandhok stated, "To compete for the drivers' championship, they must ensure Lando gets all the points he can."

"Conversely, allowing them to compete has been beneficial for Oscar. He performed exceptionally well and was the quickest McLaren driver today."

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

Rosberg commented, "Lando is on a winning streak. He's performing excellently and his confidence is soaring."

"It's inspiring that he senses 'I have an opportunity'. He remains the less favored competitor."

"Lando made an error at Turn 4. He was positioned on the inside and had the situation under control, but he was overly cautious."

Is McLaren overly cautious when it comes to taking risks?

Rosberg responded, “Being too cautious? It's hard to determine. They were unexpectedly caught off guard today. No one could have foreseen Ferrari's success. I wouldn't call it that, at least not based on today's events.”

“Cautious? They allowed their drivers to compete fiercely! They went head-to-head, and Lando nearly lost control while dueling with Oscar.”

Rosberg asserted that the McLarens' skirmish during the first lap did not deprive them of a win in the race.

"Not necessarily. Oscar had an outstanding performance in the race. They maximized their potential with the car they had today," he stated.

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