**”Toto Wolff Urges McLaren to Consider Team Orders for Lando Norris Amid F1 Title Battle”**

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

The head of Mercedes shares his opinion on the ongoing discussion about McLaren's team strategies

Mercedes head Toto Wolff has indicated that McLaren might need to make a tough decision regarding team orders as the F1 championship battle 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, Lando Norris, who started in pole position, dropped from first to third place during the opening lap after a tussle with his teammate Oscar Piastri.

Piastri overtook his teammate with a bold maneuver on the outside of the Della Roggia chicane. Subsequently, Norris surrendered another spot to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the next turn.

Norris secured third place, trailing Piastri and Leclerc. This result reduced Verstappen's lead in the drivers' championship to 62 points, with eight races left, as the Dutchman managed to finish only in sixth position.

When questioned about his reaction to McLaren permitting their drivers to compete against each other, Wolff remarked, "As a team now contending at the front, you're in a difficult position. On one hand, they are competitors just as we are."

"We aim to ensure that the most deserving individual triumphs, but when the process starts to hinder team performance and becomes ineffective, what steps should be taken?"

"The team often ends up losing because when you lock positions and implement team orders, it might not align with the spirit of racing we cherish, but the logical approach has to take priority."

"Ultimately, you don't want to miss out on winning a championship by a narrow margin of three or five points that could have been easily achieved. Balancing this challenge is extremely tough, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer for managing it."

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

Toto Wolff remarked that no one comprehends sports better than Andrea Stella and Zak Brown. He pointed out that Andrea has witnessed similar situations unfold numerous times during his tenure at Ferrari.

"He possesses the competitive spirit that resists interference and prefers to let the racers compete freely. However, I believe they will reach some sort of decision after this race regarding how we manage these situations."

"At this point, we began to outline the guidelines for engagement and later altered the terminology to 'racing intent' because the term 'rules' seemed too strict for the drivers."

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