Norris 'would have done the same' after questionable Piastri swap

Lando Norris says McLaren's team order in the Italian Grand Prix was a scenario that was debated "beforehand" by the outfit, insisting he would have also swapped positions with Oscar Piastri had their roles been reversed. 

While both McLaren drivers didn't have the pace to beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen to the finish line, the pair battled for second place right down to the final lap.

However it didn't look this way earlier in the weekend, as Norris looked to have the measure of Piastri and qualified ahead of the Australian by over a tenth of a second around the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

In Sunday's race, Norris was comfortably ahead of his McLaren teammate by several seconds for much of the 53 laps, until a late pitstop for soft tyres threatened to derail the Briton's P2 finish.

A Controversial Call from The Pit Wall

Both drivers for the Woking-based outfit opted to extend their opening stint on the medium compound of tyre, waiting until the final handful of laps to pit for fresh soft rubber and mount a challenge to Verstappen out front.

Piastri came in on lap 45 of 53, and his crew executed a brilliant pitstop to the tune of 1.9 seconds. Norris came in on the very next tour, but an issue securing the front left tyre meant the British driver was stationary for four seconds longer with a 5.9-second stop.

This allowed Piastri to snatch second place away from Norris. However, a call soon came from the pit wall asking the Australian driver to slow down and let Norris back through for P2.

Piastri initially protested, claiming that his teammate's poor pitstop was a racing incident and he should be allowed to hold position. But he ultimately agreed to let the other McLaren by with some reluctance.

Speaking after the race, Norris offered his opinion on the situation, claiming that he would have done the same in Piastri's shoes.

• Read Also: Verstappen chimes in on McLaren swap after 'straightforward' Monza win

He said: "It’s what we decided as a team beforehand. If it was the other way around, we would have done exactly the same thing.

"It’s not how I want things to go… I don’t make these things, I don’t plan for these things, I don’t want to win or be second or third or whatever like this, but it’s the most fair thing, I think. If I was behind and Oscar had the same thing, I would have to give up my position.

"It’s not my fault, it’s not Oscar’s fault, it was a team mistake, which happens every now and then, and that cost me. I know it doesn’t look [like] the best thing. I don’t want it, but it’s the most fair at the end of the day for driver against driver,” stressed Norris.

McLaren No Longer Dominant?

The 25-year-old diverted attention back to his pace, which was no match for Verstappen in the Red Bull around the fast Monza circuit.

He continued: "Just not the speed today, not the pace of Max and the Red Bull, so a tricky one.

"It’s one of the first few weekends where we’re just a bit slow, but it was still fun, still a good race, so I enjoyed it.

"I did everything I could today. I tried to fight against Max, but we had a good race, he came out on top and he deserved it. So, nothing more, second was our best result. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing," concluded the British driver.

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