McLaren: Drivers’ compliance with team orders ‘a point of strength’

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s compliance with team orders only adds to the team’s efforts to “proactively” manage its races.

In the closing stages of last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, as Lando Norris who had chased from behind during the race started reeling in Piastri who was running second, the McLaren pit wall ordered its drivers to freeze their positions.

Stella said that McLaren was eager for the pair to safely bring in another remarkable podium finish rather than continue flat out and risk a potential tyre issue on either car given the safety concerns expressed by Pirelli earlier in the weekend.

In Japan two weeks earlier, Piastri had been asked to wave past his faster teammate at the halfway mark of the race.

In Qatar, Norris was requested to rein in his pace and not attack his teammate. The Briton initially argued over the order but quickly complied, with no further discussions taking place.

• Read also: Piastri ‘a little bit surprised’ by McLaren team order

Stella explained the rationale behind the order while commending both McLaren drivers for their positive mindset.

“The drivers have been very close all weekend you know, within the space of a couple of tenths all weekend and even today they were again very close and it’s a mega result for McLaren,” Stella said.

“Lando progressed from P10 to the podium, and we are in a place in which we don’t have to forget that in 2021 Lando was P4, I think, and a few laps to go he had a tyre failure and he finished P9.

“So you just don’t want to take this risk. You don’t want to induce your drivers to push and then a track limit penalty or as soon as you tell them to push, they use the kerbs because it makes the track so much faster.

“So we just implemented ‘Stay away from [the] kerbs and think about bringing it home’. And both drivers understood it very well and Lando was very happy in the in-lap. He was very complimentary with the team.

“So, you know, it’s a point of strength that our drivers help us manage the situation so proactively and constructively.”

When the team order came through, Norris felt that both his superior pace and the gap enjoyed by the two drivers over the Mercedes of George Russell justified letting them race.

“Why do you want to do that? We have a big gap. I’m clearly a lot quicker,” Norris quipped.

Stella made clear that he has no issues with one of his drivers questioning the team’s directive as it offers the latter a chance to validate or reassess its order.

“In terms of the message you heard, this is part of our protocol, I would say, because when we give drivers distraction, we tell them to challenge us because we want to make sure we understand your point of view,” the Italian explained.

“Okay. Like, challenge us. Tell us exactly what you think. We will reassess the situation and come back to you.

“But once we come back to you, just respect it. And this is exactly what happened today. So that’s why you hear back, we ask drivers to chime in.”

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