Lando Norris has opened up on McLaren’s team orders after being forced to play his part for the team as Oscar Piastri delivered a masterclass drive to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday.
McLaren had been embroiled in team order chaos in the lead up to the race with the team throwing its support behind the British driver.
Every qualifying session and race from the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
With Norris second in the drivers’ standings, McLaren declared they would be backing in the Brit’s charge to a first world title.
All that was thrown out the window however when Norris endured a qualifying nightmare with Piastri given top billing after starting from second on the grid.
Norris was called upon to help out his teammate as the race unfolded with the top contender to Max Verstappen’s crown delivering with a key move.
After Sergio Perez pitted, Norris was relied upon to hold up the Red Bull driver and ensure the undercut on Piastri wasn’t successful.
“Lando, can you do anything to hold Perez up in the middle sector without hurting yourself,” McLaren said over the team radio said to Norris.
Norris’ tactics infuriated Perez who shouted to his own team he was being held up.
The move from Norris paid dividends as Piastri boxed a lap later and emerged from the pit lane ahead before ultimately going on to win the race.
Norris spoke about the moment after the race with former F1 world champ Jacques Villeneuve probing him on how tough it is to accept team orders despite being ahead on the drivers’ standings.
“It’s tough. At that point I was stuck behind Alex, so couldn’t do a lot. I didn’t slow down, I just saved my tyres a little bit more,” Norris said.
“It allowed Oscar to stay ahead and potentially get a win. I’m happy that I helped him, and played a small part in that. I don’t think it cost me. It’s always impossible to know.
“I was stuck behind Alex so I don’t think it changed the outcome. But it changed the outcome for Oscar so that was my job, to help Oscar.”
Despite starting 15th on the grid, Norris’ race came alive when he emerged in clear air following Alex Albon’s pit stop on lap 31.
The British driver boxed in the latter stages of the race for a fresh set of mediums which saw him surge home, ultimately finishing fourth thanks to Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz’s crash.
“The biggest question was: how would the hards last? In dirty air, you can destroy tyres quicker. To know how to push, to get past, or to save then push in clean air, is the driver’s job to manage these things,” Norris said.
“One of my strengths is race pace and how I manage the tyres. Coming to Monza, here and Singapore we knew our main contenders would be Ferrari. Between Carlos and Charles they have put us under pressure. Ferrari will be good next weekend.
“But our car works well everywhere, medium speed or high speed. We struggle more in slow speed but, clearly, had the fastest car today. I’m happy, I wasn’t expecting it to be so good.”
The result means McLaren have surged past Red Bull in the constructors’ standings, with McLaren now leading by 20 points.
It’s the first time Red Bull have lost the lead in the constructors’ championship since the Spanish Grand Prix in 2022.
“It was a good result for us a team. Oscar, I’m even happier for,” Norris added.
“For McLaren to be on top of the constructors’ for the first time in many, many years? To play a part in that is fantastic.”
The F1 grid now heads to Singapore for a race around the Marina Bay street circuit. With seven races and three sprints remaining on the calendar the drivers’ championship is well and truly on.