F1
**”Toto Wolff Urges McLaren to Prioritize Lando Norris with Team Orders as F1 Title Battle Intensifies”**
Toto Wolff suggests that McLaren ought to prioritize Lando Norris with team orders
Mercedes chief comments on the McLaren team orders controversy
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has implied that McLaren now faces a crucial decision regarding the use of team orders as the F1 championship battle nears its end.
McLaren seemed to be in an ideal position to take advantage of Max Verstappen from Red Bull having a rough weekend at the Italian Grand Prix. They secured the first two spots on the grid, but Lando Norris, who started in pole position, dropped to third place on the first 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. Following this, Norris was overtaken by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the next turn.
Norris secured a third-place finish, trailing behind Piastri and Leclerc. With Verstappen only managing to come in sixth, Norris reduced Verstappen's lead in the drivers' championship to 62 points, with eight races left in the season.
When asked if he was surprised that McLaren let their drivers compete against each other, Wolff remarked, "As a racing team that has suddenly found itself at the forefront, you face a dilemma because, on one hand, they are racers just like we are."
"Our goal is to ensure that the most qualified person succeeds, but if the situation turns chaotic and starts affecting the team's effectiveness, what steps should be taken in response?"
"The team constantly finds itself at a disadvantage because when you lock in positions and implement team orders, you might not align with the passionate spirit of racing, but the logical approach must take priority."
"In the end, you don't want to miss out on winning a championship by just three or five points that you could have easily secured. Balancing this is extremely challenging, and there's no single correct way to manage it."
Wolff suggested that McLaren team boss Andrea Stella might need to reassess their ‘Papaya Rules’ and consider shifting from his “racers’ soul” strategy.
Toto Wolff commented, "Andrea Stella and Zak Brown have an unparalleled understanding of the sport. Andrea, in particular, has witnessed various scenarios unfold firsthand during his time at Ferrari."
"He has the spirit of a racer who prefers not to intervene, wanting to let the competitors race freely. However, I believe a decision will be made about how to manage this situation once the race is over."
"This was the point at which we began to implement guidelines for engagement, but later modified the term to 'racing intent' as 'rules' sounded too strict for the drivers."
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