Team Orders Dilemma: Toto Wolff Urges McLaren to Prioritize Lando Norris in F1 Title Chase

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

Mercedes chief shares his opinion on McLaren's internal strategy discussions

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

McLaren seemed poised to take full advantage of Max Verstappen's disappointing performance this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix. They secured the top two spots on the starting grid, but Lando Norris, who had pole position, dropped from first to third place during 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, and then Norris conceded another spot to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the next turn.

Norris secured a third-place finish, trailing behind Piastri and Leclerc, and reduced Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ championship to 62 points with eight races left, as the Dutchman managed only a sixth-place finish.

When questioned about his surprise at McLaren permitting their drivers to compete against each other, Wolff remarked, "As a team newly fighting at the forefront, you find yourself in a difficult position. They are racers just like us."

"We aim to ensure that the most deserving individual succeeds, but when the situation becomes chaotic and negatively affects the team's performance, how should one respond?"

"The team often faces defeats because, when positions are locked in and team orders are enforced, it might not align with our racing spirit, but logical decisions must take precedence."

"In the end, you don’t want to miss out on winning a championship by just three or five points that you could have easily earned. Balancing this is extremely challenging, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing it."

Wolff suggested that Andrea Stella, the head of McLaren, might need to reconsider their ‘Papaya Rules’ and shift from his “racer’s instinct” philosophy.

"Andrea Stella and Zak Brown have an unparalleled understanding of sports. Andrea, in particular, has witnessed everything unfold firsthand several times while at Ferrari," Wolff said.

“He possesses the spirit of a true racer who prefers to let the competition unfold naturally, but I believe a decision will be made after this race… what is our strategy for this situation?

"This is when we began outlining the guidelines for participation and then opted to use the term 'racing intent' instead, as 'rules' seemed too strict for the drivers."

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