**Toto Wolff Urges McLaren to Prioritize Team Orders as F1 Title Fight Heats Up**

Toto Wolff suggests McLaren prioritize Lando Norris through team orders

Mercedes chief comments on McLaren's internal strategy discussion

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has indicated that McLaren may need to make a tough decision regarding the use of team orders as the F1 championship battle nears its end.

It looked like McLaren had a golden chance to take advantage of a tough weekend for Red Bull's Max Verstappen by securing the top two spots on the starting grid for the Italian Grand Prix. However, Lando Norris, who began in pole position, dropped from first to third during the opening lap following a tussle with his teammate, Oscar Piastri.

Piastri overtook his teammate with a bold maneuver on the outer side 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 position.

Toto Wolff explained that when a racing team unexpectedly finds itself competing at the forefront, it faces a dilemma. He noted that while McLaren, like his own team, consists of racers, he was asked if it surprised him that McLaren permitted their drivers to compete against each other.

"We aim to ensure that the most deserving individual prevails, but when it begins to cause dysfunction and negatively affect the team's performance, what steps do you take to address it?"

"The team often ends up losing because if you rigidly assign positions and implement team orders, it might not align with our racing spirit. However, the logical approach must take precedence."

"In the end, you don’t want to miss out on winning a championship by just a few points that you could have easily earned. Balancing this is incredibly challenging, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for how to manage it."

Wolff suggested that McLaren's team leader, Andrea Stella, might need to reassess their ‘Papaya Rules’ and reconsider his strategy that is driven by a “racers’ soul” philosophy.

Toto Wolff remarked that Andrea Stella and Zak Brown possess an unparalleled understanding of sports. He highlighted that Andrea, in particular, has witnessed numerous events unfold firsthand during his tenure at Ferrari.

“He possesses that competitive spirit, preferring to let the racers compete without intervention. However, I believe a decision will be made following this race regarding our approach… What measures are we taking?”

"This was the point at which we began implementing guidelines for engagement, and we later adjusted the terminology to 'racing intent' because the term 'rules' seemed too strict for the drivers."

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