Time for Team Orders? 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 team orders discussion

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has indicated that it may be time for McLaren to consider enforcing team orders as the battle for the F1 championship nears its end.

McLaren seemed to have an ideal chance to take advantage of a tough weekend for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by securing the top two spots on the grid for the Italian Grand Prix. However, pole position holder Lando Norris dropped from first to third during the initial lap following a tussle with his teammate Oscar Piastri.

Piastri overtook his teammate with a bold maneuver on the outer edge of the Della Roggia chicane, and then Norris surrendered 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 questioned about his thoughts on McLaren letting their drivers compete, Wolff commented, "As a team fighting at the forefront, you're in a tough spot. On one hand, they're racers just like us."

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

"The team consistently ends up losing because when you lock in positions and enforce team orders, it might go against the spirit of racing we love, but logic and reason must take precedence."

"In the end, nobody wants to miss out on a championship due to a small margin of three or five points that were within reach. Balancing that fine line is incredibly challenging, and there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to managing it."

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

Toto Wolff emphasized that no one comprehends sports better than Andrea Stella and Zak Brown. He noted that Andrea has witnessed many developments firsthand during his time with Ferrari.

"He possesses the spirit of a true racer who prefers to let the competitors race freely, yet I believe that following this race, they will reach a decision… what is our approach to this situation?"

"At this point, we began to lay out the guidelines for engagement, but later we decided to use the term 'racing intent' instead, as 'rules' sounded too strict for the drivers."

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