Two of Lando Norris’ former team mates backed his decision to give up victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix under orders from McLaren.
The two McLaren drivers swapped positions at the front of the field after the team gave Norris the benefit of making his final pit stop first in order to protect him from attack from behind. They then spent 20 laps urging him to let Oscar Piastri through into the lead, which he finally did with two laps to go.Daniel Ricciardo, who benefited from McLaren’s team orders calls during his time alongside Norris from 2021 to 2022, said Norris could have compromised his relationships within the team had he stayed ahead.
“If in that case, obviously we’re talking about Lando and Oscar here, in the case of Lando staying in front, then it fractures the relationship not only with the team but then with your team mate.
“There’s not three races to go, there is still half a season to go. So I just think with that and looking ahead at the rest of the season, there will be times where Lando might need to lean on Oscar. And if you fracture that still with a half a season to go, I think that’s where it becomes difficult.
“Maybe me as a young kid in Formula 1 would have thought very different about this. But I think with age and a little bit of experience and wisdom, I think this is the way you have to look at it.”
Ricciardo said McLaren handled the situation well, especially Norris’ race engineer Will Joseph, who talked him into giving up the position.
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“The advice he was given was also, I think, good, because in the heat of the moment you don’t kind of see it all, so to speak. It’s like you see a win in front of you and that’s it.
“It’s a team game and you do need the team to help you, and there will be times where, again, it comes around and it’ll work in his favour. So as much as you don’t want to hear it, of course, at times and we’re all here to win, I think long-term play it’s definitely the smartest one.”
Carlos Sainz Jnr, who was Norris’ team mate at McLaren for two years before Ricciardo replaced him, said giving up a win is painful but the driver must prioritise their team.
“We were not fighting for easy one-twos at my time in McLaren but a team order is a team order and I think the team always comes first,” he said. “It’s been the way I’ve approached my Formula 1 career over these last nine, ten years. A team order, as much as it hurts, and it must have hurt to do let Oscar by, it’s a team order.
“Analysing the situation, if they give you an undercut for free on your team mate, most likely you need to let your team mate by because if not, you wouldn’t be in front of him if it wasn’t for that undercut.”
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He told media in today’s FIA press conference they “are being very tough on McLaren” for suggesting Norris should have been allowed to stay ahead because he is their best-placed driver in the championship.
“If you see where McLaren were a year and a half ago and where they are right now, it’s something to admire and something that only they have achieved with the way that they’ve developed the car, developed the team and put themselves in a position to even be considering fighting for a championship.
“Whether they will win it or not by seven points, those seven points might be somewhere else, not only in the event of Hungary. It might be because they started the season further behind maybe than what they wanted, and not in that exact race from Hungary.
“Personally I admire a lot [team principal] Andrea Stella, the way that he’s handling the team, the way he’s handling every situation, how calm everything looks at McLaren, even if you guys are pushing them to fight for bigger things. I think they are in the right trend and right now they’re the strongest team in Formula 1 so hats off to them.”
Another driver who has not previously partnered Norris, Valtteri Bottas, agreed with the others. Bottas, who obeyed a similar order to let Lewis Hamilton win the Russian Grand Prix in 2018, joked he would always follow such rules “because I’m an amazing team player,” but insisted he had “no regrets” over that decision.
“There’s certain rules, it depends on the team, depends on the situation,” he said. “But normally it comes back to you. So obviously I would give the place back.”
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2024 Hungarian Grand Prix
- Verstappen names Hungarian GP the most stressful moment of his title-winning year
- McLaren team orders “a new situation we’re inexperienced at handling” – Piastri
- Verstappen dismisses critics of “vocal” radio messages and late-night simracing
- Norris’ former McLaren team mates say he was right to give up win
- Mercedes surprised Hamilton’s car was “completely unscathed” in Verstappen clash
Jere (@jerejj)
25th July 2024, 15:51
I’d forgotten Carlos had raced in F1 for 19 years.
On a serious note, I’m somewhat surprised they were asked about a particular matter that doesn’t directly concern them or even the team they’re driving for presently.
An Sionnach
25th July 2024, 16:34
They need to get serious about winning the championship from now because they can do it. Why choose not to?
FlyingLap (@flyinglapp)
25th July 2024, 17:15
Norris will probably need help from Piastri to reduce the points difference with Verstappen; allowing him the Hungary win will be very useful in getting that help willingly.
MurasamaRA300 (@murasamara300)
25th July 2024, 17:37
I think they are going for the constructors title, not the drivers title.
By winning, Piastri (5th in standings) gained on both Ferraris in 3rd and 4th, and he put an extra 10 points between himself and Hamilton in 6th.
Norris remained 2nd in the standings. I’m guessing McLaren thinks he is unlikely to catch Verstappen.
But Piastri can catch & pass the Ferraris – McLaren thereby having their drivers in 2nd and 3rd, and (maybe) clinching the constructors title by both McLaren drivers consistently taking points away from the Ferraris and also from Perez.
MurasamaRA300 (@murasamara300)
28th July 2024, 15:55
… and after the Belgian GP, he has now passed Sainz.
SpaFrancorchamps (@spafrancorchamps)
25th July 2024, 23:11
To McLaren the drivers championship is not really the priority. It never was. They are aiming for the constructors title and the drivers title is a nice added bonus if they can have it. Considering Lando’s points deficit to Max, not much of a chance though.
Nick T.
25th July 2024, 18:22
I’ve watched the 2021 Monza race multiple times. Norris was not close to being fast enough to get by Ricciardo. It is doubtful he could have even got into DRS range. So, as inferior as he was to Norris that year, it is inaccurate to depict his win as a result of team orders preventing them from racing.
Nick T.
25th July 2024, 18:27
Never mind, the link about team orders only went to the Baku races. However, it’s probable they were also referring to Monza since implying it happened multiple times.
Mooa42
25th July 2024, 23:20
To add to your argument, on the last lap both drivers tried to set fastest lap, which went to Dan. From memory it was by .150. So Lando saying he was faster than Dan was Lando’s way of trying to make out he was faster, even though Dan was managing the pace. In my mind, a childish play for attention from Lando, similar to Hungary last weekend. I guess most drivers believe they are the best and have trouble processing when they aren’t. I prefer Oscars approach, no matter how good I am, I can always be better.
Kribana (@krichelle)
25th July 2024, 18:45
This is why I want them to remove the driver’s championship and only put the constructor’s championship. Team battles have always been more fun than driver battles
David BR (@david-br)
25th July 2024, 18:50
@krichelle I disagree because it’s precisely the tension between driver and team that makes Formula 1 interesting. Plus you’d have a hard time selling F1 as solely a team championship battle.
David BR (@david-br)
25th July 2024, 18:48
All fine sentiments.
Drivers who have ignored team orders: Verstappen, Vettel, Hamilton (Hungary qualifying 2007).
Drivers who haven’t ignored team orders: Ricciardo, Sainz.
Drivers who have led a team and won championships? The first three.
MichaelN
25th July 2024, 18:57
As the recent article showed, there are plenty of other examples in both categories. It’s just the circumstances in that one moment, not emblematic of an entire career.
David BR (@david-br)
25th July 2024, 22:15
Sure there are counter-examples, but I think teams respond to an element of ruthlessness when the driver also delivers the results. Saying that, I don’t think McLaren left Norris with much choice: his race engineer basically implied that if he didn’t return the place, neither Piastri nor the team would help him throughout the rest of the season. True or not, it was an ultimatum. How wise it was to make, time will tell.
Mayrton
26th July 2024, 13:00
I know a large group of people would like to see polite gentlemen only these days, but in sports that will come at a cost mentally. I personally like to see them being polite gentlemen off track, but please be the outright entitled … you need to be, once in the car. It was Ron Dennis or Frank Williams who earlier stated: do not make the mistake thinking drivers are nice persons, they are all bast…, every single one of them.
melanos
25th July 2024, 19:30
If the second half of the championship goes really well for McL/Lando (and badly for RBR/Max) maybe Lando will have ample opportunity to regret those 7 lost points. Maybe his only chance for a WDC.
And it was all supremely silly. Lando had a lot more pace in the last stint, would have been much better to let Oscar through ASAP and then cleanly overtake him and leave him behind
David BR (@david-br)
25th July 2024, 22:19
Maybe. I think some drivers would be capable of doing that simply as a matter of principle: they’d feel wronged in being told to give up the position and points in Lando’s position (which is clearly what he felt and expressed) and they would have fought until they were past again. But Norris, I don’t know. He has the talent but maybe not the same relentless drive and aggression.
Riker (@corsair)
26th July 2024, 6:30
This doesn’t take into account just how hard it was to overtake and just how much pace was lost in dirty air when stuck in traffic behind cars that were being lapped.
It would’ve actually better to pit Oscar first. It’s as simple as that. A total stuff up of strategy from McLaren. If they did that then none of this would’ve ever happened and we would’ve – more importantly – be more than likely talking about Oscar’s first win (and justifiably so as he deserved it with how he performed over the entire race).