The dispute between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the final laps of the Italian GP of Formula 1 on Sunday (6) may have cost McLaren a chance to pressure Max Verstappen for the podium. Andrea Stella, the team principal, stated that the episode will be reviewed internally, although he defended the decision to let the two drivers race freely in Monza.
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Norris finished fourth, ahead of Piastri, after a tight battle between the teammates. The tensest moment happened on lap 51 of the 53 scheduled, when the Brit tried to overtake the Australian on the outside of the track. Piastri moved to the left during the defense and closed the space. Norris had to go through the grass to avoid contact. Annoyed, the Brit complained over the radio and said he had been pushed off the track.
For Stella, McLaren had no reason to interfere in the dispute. The team understood that Norris first needed to overtake Piastri to have any chance of reaching Verstappen, and the two cars were in practically identical conditions: “In this situation, we thought that for Lando to have any chance against Max, he would first need to get past Oscar,” Stella explained to the press.
“And both cars were on the same tires, with the same wear, the same car. So we thought there was no need to interfere in the normal development of the race. We let them fight.”
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The manager considers that keeping the dispute between teammates was the right choice at that moment. At the same time, he acknowledged that the battle will be analyzed by the team, especially for what it may have represented in the attempt to reach the podium.
“We thought it was the right decision. Overall, I think Max was faster. He just got stuck in this trap we have this year, when you lose the slipstream here in Monza and need to use energy to defend yourself from another driver.”
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