Oscar Piastri Reveals Strong Cooperation With Lando Norris That Will Trump McLaren Team Orders
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri highlighted the strong cooperation with teammate Lando Norris, claiming that their partnership enables them to make the right decisions during Grands Prix, often surpassing the need for team orders. The 2024 season saw McLaren go against its ethos by issuing team orders in the interest of its Constructors' Championship victory and helping Norris in his title fight against Max Verstappen.
McLaren's team order situation became the highlight in its title fight this year, which started with Norris handing back Piastri his lead in the race at the Hungaroring, helping him secure his maiden victory in the premier class. The second instance arrived at Monza, when the McLaren pair engaged in a battle for the lead, allowing Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to capitalize on the situation and compromise the team's position in the championship. The Papaya outfit later confirmed that it was supporting Norris in the title fight against Verstappen, hinting at him being the number one driver in the team.
However, the Australian driver revealed that the team orders situation was blown out of proportion. In reality, they applied to "specific scenarios" since they were in the best interest of the team. Piastri explained that he and Lando share a clear understanding of what needs to be done during Grands Prix, regardless of the team orders issued. He said:
"I mean, it's a bit of a catch-22. I think if I was better situated, then there wouldn't be team orders.
"I think it's been made a much bigger deal than it has been, you know. There's not really been any situation so far where we've actually needed to use them, so to speak.
"So yes, some things have changed a little bit, and there's a few more rules or some tweaks to some of the ways we go racing, but again, they're very, very specific scenarios, I would say. So yeah, it's been I think a much bigger story for everyone outside the team.
"For us involved, we know to do the right thing when we need to. And yeah, I think next year of course I want to be in a position where I can fight and hopefully, it's just me and Lando that can fight for the championship, that's our ideal scenario.
"But even without these sort of more prescribed team orders, we've always worked in terms of doing the right thing for each other, and I don't think that will ever change."
An example of the drivers prioritizing mutual support over team orders occurred when Norris repaid Piastri for his mid-season assistance by handing him the lead during the Qatar GP Sprint race in the last corner, securing Piastri's victory.
Mark Webber, who manages and mentors Piastri, was speculated to be instrumental in ensuring that Piastri is not the number two driver while negotiating terms with McLaren. When Piastri was asked if he sought advice from Webber on the team orders situation this year, he said:
"Yes and no. I mean, not directly. I think the situation here at McLaren is very different to what Mark experienced in his career.
"I think there have maybe been pointers here and there, and just helping the team in some ways with what he felt didn't work well in his experience and what he did because I think for a lot of people in the team it's quite a new scenario as well.
"So I think it's been helpful for everybody to have kind of his input on what he thought was good or bad at the time.
"But [he is] certainly not leading the team in terms of 'you need to do this or that'. Or even for me, you know, like 'don't stand for this or that'. It's been just very much his own experience and that's been more or less it."