F1
Time for Team Orders? Toto Wolff Urges McLaren to Prioritize Lando Norris in Title Fight
Toto Wolff suggests McLaren should prioritize Lando Norris through team orders
Mercedes chief comments on McLaren's team orders situation
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has indicated that McLaren may need to make a tough decision regarding team orders as the F1 championship battle nears its end.
McLaren seemed to be in an ideal position to take advantage of Red Bull's Max Verstappen's underwhelming performance during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, securing the top two spots on the starting grid. However, pole-sitter Lando Norris dropped from first to third place on the opening lap following a tussle with his fellow McLaren driver, Oscar Piastri.
Piastri overtook his teammate with a bold maneuver on the outside 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 behind Piastri and Leclerc, and managed to reduce Verstappen's lead in the drivers' championship to 62 points with eight races left, as the Dutchman finished in sixth place.
Wolff commented on McLaren's decision to let their drivers compete, stating, “When you’re a racing team suddenly fighting at the front, you find yourself in a difficult position. On one hand, they are competitors just like we are.”
"Our goal is to ensure that the most deserving individual prevails; however, when the situation turns disruptive and negatively affects the team's performance, how should we respond?"
"The team often ends up losing because if you lock in positions and enforce team orders, it might not align with the spirit of racing we desire, 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 easily gained. Navigating this fine line is extremely 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 possibly shift from his "racer's soul" strategy.
"Andrea Stella and Zak Brown have an unparalleled understanding of sports. Andrea, in particular, has witnessed numerous events unfold firsthand during his time at Ferrari," Wolff remarked.
"He possesses the spirit of a true racer who prefers to let the competition unfold naturally. However, I believe that after this race, they will reach a decision on how to manage such situations moving forward."
At this point, we began to present the guidelines for engagement, but later altered the terminology to 'racing intent' because the term 'rules' seemed too strict for the drivers.
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