Wolff on McLaren team orders: why the decision in Monza could create problems.

The situation with McLaren's team orders

According to The Sun: Toto Wolff claims that McLaren may have found itself in a difficult situation due to their controversial orders during the race in Monza.

Questions have again arisen at McLaren regarding the decisions to swap positions between drivers. This time, Oscar Piastri was forced to give up his position to Lando Norris.

At the end of the race, Norris faced a significant delay at the pit stop - 5.9 seconds due to issues with the installation of the front left wheel, after which he was passed by teammate Piastri.

However, the Australian was instructed to return the position to Norris, which he reluctantly did, complaining over the radio.

This situation in Italy contrasts with the chaos in Budapest last year when Norris ignored team orders for 17 laps to give the Australian a chance to return to the front.

The British driver gained his position thanks to the team decision to send him to the pit first. He repeatedly received instructions to let the position go but refused to comply until lap 17, eventually conceding three laps before the finish for Piastri to secure his first F1 victory.

Toto Wolff's comments

The leader of Mercedes, Wolff, recalls events between teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during their fierce championship battle in 2014, 2015, and 2016:

“There is no right or wrong. I'm curious to see how this will end.”

“You set a precedent that is very hard to undo. What if the team makes a mistake again? Or you swap their positions again?”

Wolff also emphasized that “letting the position go due to a team mistake is also unfair.”

The race in Monza allowed Norris, who was comfortably leading over Piastri, to cut his championship deficit to 31 points. If Piastri had remained ahead, Norris would have left Monza with a 37-point deficit. This came a week after losing 18 points due to a McLaren car failure that cost him second place.

“There is no straightforward answer for today. The response concerning the management of the situation will be known at the end of the season when the situation intensifies.”

“If the team makes a mistake by swapping positions, it is absolutely a fair decision.”

Wolff added: “The most important thing is to have a clear strategy. One of the ways is to either compete or try to balance everything as fairly as possible.”

It is important to note that the situation at McLaren creates new challenges for the team and its drivers. The relationships within the team can significantly impact the results in the championship, and thus questions of team orders are attracting more attention. The team must find a balance between the individual ambitions of the drivers and the overall goals, which in turn will reflect in their performance on the track.