Time for McLaren to Implement Team Orders? Toto Wolff Weighs In on Norris-Piastri Rivalry

Toto Wolff suggests that McLaren should implement team orders to benefit Lando Norris.

The head of Mercedes shares his opinion on the discussion surrounding McLaren's team orders.

Mercedes' team principal, Toto Wolff, has hinted that McLaren may need to consider enforcing team orders as the F1 championship battle nears its end.

McLaren seemed poised to take full advantage of a tough weekend for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by securing the top two spots on the starting grid for the Italian Grand Prix. However, Lando Norris, who began in pole position, dropped to third place after a tussle with his teammate Oscar Piastri during the first lap.

Piastri overtook his teammate with a bold maneuver around the outside of the Della Roggia chicane, and then Norris was passed by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the next turn.

Norris secured third place, 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 to only finish in sixth place.

Toto Wolff commented on McLaren's decision to let their drivers compete against each other, saying, "When you're a leading racing team, it's a tough situation. On one hand, they're racers just like us."

"We aim to ensure that the most qualified individual succeeds, but when the situation begins to harm the team's effectiveness, how should we respond?"

The team often finds itself at a disadvantage because when you hold positions and enforce team orders, it might conflict with our racing spirit. However, logic and reason must take precedence.

"In the end, you don't want to miss out on winning a championship by just a few points that you could have easily earned. Balancing this is incredibly challenging, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution for managing it."

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

Toto Wolff mentioned that Andrea Stella and Zak Brown have an unparalleled understanding of sports. He pointed out that Andrea has witnessed numerous events unfold firsthand during his time at Ferrari.

"He possesses the competitive spirit that resists imposing restrictions and prefers to let the racers compete freely. However, I believe they will reach a decision on this matter after the race… what approach are we taking?"

“This marked the beginning of our implementation of engagement guidelines, which we later rephrased to 'racing intent' because the term 'rules' seemed too strict for the drivers.”

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