Time for Team Orders? Toto Wolff Urges McLaren to Back Lando Norris as F1 Title Race Heats Up

Toto Wolff suggests that McLaren should prioritize Lando Norris through team orders

Mercedes head comments on the McLaren team orders discussion

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has indicated that McLaren may now need to consider imposing team orders as the battle for the F1 championship nears its end.

McLaren seemed poised to take full advantage of Max Verstappen's disappointing weekend by securing the top two spots on the Italian Grand Prix starting grid. However, pole-sitter Lando Norris dropped from first to third place during the opening lap following a tussle with his teammate Oscar Piastri.

Piastri overtook his teammate with a daring maneuver on the outside of the Della Roggia chicane, and then Norris fell back another spot to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the next turn.

Norris secured third place, trailing Piastri and Leclerc, and narrowed Verstappen's lead in the drivers' championship to 62 points with eight races left, as the Dutchman finished in sixth place.

When asked if he was surprised that McLaren permitted their drivers to compete against each other, Wolff commented, "I believe that for a racing team that has suddenly found itself competing at the front, it's a tough position to be in. On one hand, they are racers just like we are."

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

"The team frequently ends up losing because when you lock in positions and impose team orders, it might not align with the spirit of racing we strive for, but the logical approach must take precedence."

"You don't want to miss out on winning a championship by just a few points that you could have secured. Balancing this is incredibly challenging, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach to managing it."

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

Toto Wolff expressed that no one comprehends the world of sports better than Andrea Stella and Zak Brown. He noted that Andrea has witnessed numerous situations unfold firsthand during his time at Ferrari.

"He has the spirit of a racer who prefers not to interfere and wants to let the competitors race freely. However, I believe they'll reach a decision after this race… what's our approach to managing this?"

"At this point, we began to establish guidelines for participation, but later we altered the terminology to 'racing intent' because the word 'rules' seemed too strict for the drivers."

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