Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have insisted that protecting their teammates is the priority for McLaren after the team instructed them to swap positions at the Italian Grand Prix, sparking controversy. The British driver lost second place to Piastri due to a slow pit stop caused by a faulty wheel gun, but McLaren ordered Piastri to return the position, which he did.
Both drivers emphasised that the team's long-term success depends on maintaining a positive environment. 'The team is priority No 1 and drivers second,' Piastri said. 'We don't want the chance of this success just for this year. Protecting the people around us that give us this opportunity is very important.' Norris echoed the sentiment, stating that without the team, they would be 'fighting for 10th'.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who managed a bitter intra-team battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in 2016, noted that McLaren's commitment to fairness could create future headaches. 'You set a precedent that is very difficult to undo,' he said. 'What if the team makes another mistake? Do you switch them around? We'll see towards the end of the season when it heats up.'
Wolff also highlighted the complexity of managing such scenarios, questioning how McLaren would handle other potential team errors. 'What if next time the car doesn't start up or the suspension breaks? You could have a cascade of events that can be very difficult to manage.'
