McLaren will internally analyze the dispute between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Italian Grand Prix of Formula 1, after the two teammates lost ground to Max Verstappen while fighting each other. The team principal, Andrea Stella, stated that the team will still evaluate whether they could have handled the situation differently.
Read more F1: Russell receives special tribute at Silverstone from 2027 onwards
Verstappen managed to overtake the two McLaren drivers with a different strategy, but Norris and Piastri remained close to the Dutchman in an attempt to reach the podium. The dispute between the teammates, however, allowed Verstappen to open a gap, with Norris finishing fourth, ahead of Piastri.
Stella explained that McLaren decided not to interfere because the two cars were in equivalent conditions: “Both cars had the same tires, with the same tire age, and they were the same cars. So we thought there was no need to interfere with the normal development of the race and let them fight,” said the team principal.
Read more F1: Brundle believes Russell «felt frustrated» with how the Italian GP unfolded
According to Stella, Verstappen also had a superior pace but ended up involved in the specific Monza dynamic, where losing the slipstream can require using energy to defend against another driver. Still, the manager acknowledged that the team needs to evaluate if there was a better alternative for Norris and Piastri to face the Red Bull Racing driver.
The analysis will also include the moment when the two McLaren cars almost touched before the Roggia chicane. Norris put two wheels on the grass and complained over the radio that Piastri had pushed him, but Stella said that the later review showed a less serious incident than it appeared: “It is something we will certainly review, and we will review it in the context of this type of dispute,” he added.
Read more F1: Piastri reveals how Verstappen’s mistake complicated his race in Italy
