Rosberg Criticizes McLaren’s Driver Equality Policy: ‘Hurting’ Norris in Championship Battle

Nico Rosberg’s Opinion on McLaren’s Team Orders Controversy

Nico Rosberg Evaluates the Battle Between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

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

However, he argued that Ferrari's Charles Leclerc's victory at the F1 Italian Grand Prix wasn't necessarily due to the choices made by McLaren's leadership.

Norris began the race in the lead but was quickly passed by his teammate Oscar Piastri during the opening lap, which put him at a disadvantage. As a result, he couldn't regain his position and lost the opportunity to make a significant impact on Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship.

Former Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg provided his insights on McLaren's approach of treating both drivers equally during his analysis for Sky Sports.

“Papaya sets the standard in racing, but they compete with integrity,” Rosberg stated.

"Reports indicate that Lando felt Oscar crossed the line during their duel at Turn 4. He apparently believed it wasn't a fair contest."

Intense debates are expected to take place in the McLaren team’s motorhome.

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

“I believe Oscar performed excellently. He vacated the area and executed his task wonderfully.”

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

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

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

"McLaren's core philosophy, which dates back many years, involves having two top-tier drivers. Andrea is currently implementing this strategy."

"They were confident in their victory until the last moment."

"The team allowed their drivers to compete against each other, creating an entertaining and thrilling experience. Ultimately, Ferrari took a gamble with their strategy, which paid off."

The issue revolves around Lando and the drivers' championship. The team has chosen to continue treating both drivers as equals, without giving Lando any special preference. While that's the decision they've made, it is undeniably impacting Lando negatively.

Do McLaren avoid taking risks?

Norris trails Verstappen by 62 points, with Verstappen sitting at the top of the drivers' standings despite going through a rough patch.

Karun Chandhok mentioned that in order to contend for the drivers' championship, it is essential to ensure Lando secures each available point.

“Conversely, allowing them to compete freely benefits Oscar. He delivered an excellent performance 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 in great form right now. He's performing exceptionally, and he's very confident."

"It is encouraging that he senses an opportunity. He remains the less favored contender."

"Lando made an error at Turn 4. He was positioned on the inside and had the situation under control, but he played it too cautiously."

Is McLaren overly cautious when it comes to taking risks?

Rosberg responded: "Were they too cautious? That’s hard to determine. They were unexpectedly caught off guard today. No one could have anticipated that Ferrari’s strategy would be successful. So, I wouldn’t make that claim based on today’s events."

"Afraid of taking risks? They allowed their drivers to fiercely compete! They were racing side by side, and Lando nearly lost control while dueling with Oscar."

Rosberg emphasized that the Lap 1 contest between the McLaren drivers did not prevent them from winning the race.

"Not necessarily. Oscar had an incredible race performance. They maximized the potential of the car today," he commented.

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