Piastri and McLaren: Total agreement after controversial position change

Oscar Piastri, current championship leader, has assured that McLaren is “very aligned” regarding the race strategy they will follow for the rest of the season, after the controversy generated by the team orders in the Italian Grand Prix.In Monza, Piastri, who leads the standings, was instructed to concede second position to his teammate, Lando Norris, after having gained the position thanks to a confusion in the pit stops.Before this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Piastri, who leads Norris by 31 points in the drivers’ standings, stated that the team order was widely discussed and several scenarios for the future were clarified.

Naturally, there have been reflections on the matter. We’ve had good conversations with the team. Obviously, it was a much-discussed moment.

Oscar Piastri

Piastri emphasized that the decision to swap positions was not related to a slow stop for Norris, but rather to the sequence of pit stops, which saw Piastri pit before Norris despite being behind on the track.

After the race, McLaren explained that they pitted Piastri first because they were concerned about the threat of Charles Leclerc, of Ferrari, in fourth place, and the Australian driver confirmed that a slow stop for Norris alone would not have led to a position swap.Piastri added that, under an identical scenario in some of the remaining races, the same team order would be applied, although he believes it is unlikely to be repeated.Piastri also commented that he feels the team’s internal rules still allow enough freedom for the outcome of this year’s title to be decided on the track between the two teammates.