**”Toto Wolff Urges McLaren to Reconsider Team Orders as F1 Title Fight Intensifies”**

Toto Wolff suggests McLaren ought to prioritize Lando Norris with team directives

Mercedes chief weighs in on the discussion surrounding McLaren's team orders

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

McLaren seemed poised to take full advantage of Red Bull's Max Verstappen having a subpar weekend by securing the top two positions on the starting grid for the Italian Grand Prix. However, Lando Norris, who had earned pole position, dropped from first to third place during the opening lap following a tussle with his teammate Oscar Piastri.

Piastri boldly overtook his teammate on the outside of the Della Roggia chicane, and then Norris dropped another spot to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the next turn.

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

When asked if he was taken aback by McLaren permitting their drivers to compete against each other, Wolff commented, “As a racing team now fighting at the front, you find yourself in a tough position because, on one hand, they are racers just like we are.”

"Our goal is to ensure the most deserving person succeeds, but when it begins to cause problems and negatively affects the team's performance, how should you respond to that?"

"The team consistently faces defeat because enforcing rigid roles and issuing team orders might clash with our racing spirit, but the logical approach must take precedence."

"In the end, you don't want to miss winning a championship by just three or five points that you could have easily earned. Navigating this fine line is extremely challenging, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach to managing it."

Wolff suggested that McLaren team boss Andrea Stella might need to reconsider their ‘Papaya Rules’ and distance himself from his “racers’ soul” strategy.

Toto Wolff remarked, “When it comes to understanding sports, Andrea Stella and Zak Brown are unmatched. Andrea, in particular, has witnessed many situations unfold firsthand during his time at Ferrari.”

"He possesses the spirit of a true racer who prefers not to interfere and wants to let the competitors race freely. However, I believe they will reach a decision after this race… what's our approach to managing this?"

"We began by establishing guidelines for participation and later adjusted the terminology to 'racing intent' since the word 'rules' felt too strict for the drivers."

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